THE  STANDARD  BEARER  LEADS  THE  LEGIONS 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER 


A  STORY  OF  ARMY  LIFE 
IN  THE  TIME  OF  CAESAR 


BY 


A.  C.  WHITEHEAD 

INSTRUCTOR   IN    LATIN    IN    BOYS*    HIGH    SCHOOL 
ATLANTA,  GEORGIA 


AMERICAN   BOOK   COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  CINCINNATI  CHICAGO 


°l 
at 


COPYRIGHT,  1914,  1915 
BY    A.    C.    WHITEHEAD 


THE  STANDARD   BEARER 
B.  P.  3 


PREFACE 

A  CLASS  of  boys  and  girls  whom  the  author  was 
teaching  some  time  ago,  displayed  more  than  ordi- 
nary interest  in  the  study  of  the  Commentaries  of 
Csesar.  On  reading  the  account  of  the  standard  bearer 
who  so  boldly  led  the  legions  at  the  first  landing  in 
Britain,  the  young  people  expressed  considerable  won- 
der as  to  the  personality  of  that  hero,  making  many 
conjectures  as  to  his  origin,  his  deeds  in  the  army,  and 
his  promotion.  It  then  occurred  to  the  author  that  a 
story  might  be  written  which  would  give  an  accurate 
picture  of  the  Gallic  campaigns,  and  lend  character, 
individual  and  national,  to  the  chief  actors.  This  book 
is  an  effort  at  such  a  story. 

Much  reading  and  study  have  gone  to  its  making. 
While  there  has  been  a  constant  effort  to  portray  the 
customs  and  beliefs  of  Romans,  Gauls,  Germans,  and 
Britons,  it  is  hoped  that  the  characters  and  incidents 
are  not  hidden  under  loads  of  glaring  facts  as  to 
customs  and  habits.  The  author  further  hopes  that 
the  story  is  presented  in  English  which  is  pure  and 
forceful,  and  in  some  degree,  attractive. 

5 


6  PREFACE 

Caesar  and  Baculus  and  Caius  and  Procillus  and 
most  of  the  lieutenants  named  are  real  actors  in  the 
Commentaries  and  may  be  further  studied  in  the 
encyclopedias ;  but  Matho  and  Sannio  and  Carvillax 
and  Eredox  and  Lanius  and  even  Bridiga  are  imagi- 
nary creations,  and  such  character  as  they  may  have 
grew  with  the  story.  Should  they  fall  short  in  any 
manner,  it  will  in  no  wise  be  fair  to  blame  Julius 
Caesar. 

If  this  book  shall  cause  young  people  of  the  future 
to  read  their  Caesar  with  more  profit  and  pleasure,  the 
author  will  be  amply  repaid  for  his  attempt. 

Thanks  are  due  my  wife,  Cora  Brown  Whitehead, 
and  young  son,  Carlton,  who  very  patiently  read  and 
criticized  the  chapters  as  they  were  written. 

A.  C.  W. 

ATLANTA,  GA. 


CONTENTS 
BOOK  ONE  —  P4STOR 

PAGE 
CHAPTER 

I.  THE  SHEPHERD  MEETS  A  PROCONSUL 

II.  THE  SHEPHERD  HEARS  A  STORY  .    .   .*   •   •      23 

III.  THE  SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE  PROCONSUL   .   ,   .   .33 

IV.  THE  SHEPHERD  MAKES  ACQUAINTANCES    .    .  '  .   -42 

V.  THE  SHEPHERD  BECOMES  A  LEGIONARY    ....   54 

BOOK  TWO -MILES 

I.  THE  SOLDIER  HAS  ADVENTURES 67 

II.  THE  SOLDIER  HEARS  A  GENERAL'S  SPEECH    .  •      7® 

III.  THE  SOLDIER  SAVES  HIMSELF  BY  FLIGHT       .... 

IV.  THE  SOLDIER  FIGHTS  IN  A  GREAT  BATTLE  •      98 

V.  THE  SOLDIER  ASKS  A  QUESTION 

VI.  THE  SOLDIER  IN  WINTER  QUARTERS 117 

VII.  THE  SOLDIER  LEARNS  OF  A  PLOT • 

VIII.    THE  SOLDIER  IN  BATTLE  WITH  THE  NERVIANS      ... 

IX.    THE  SOLDIER  BEFRIENDS  A  NERVIAN  YOUTH         .        .        .14° 

BOOK  THREE -4QUILIFER 

I.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  CARRIES  A  MESSAGE        .        .        •     H7 

II.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HAS  A  GOOD  SUPPER       .        .        •     '55 

III.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  OF  A  DISTANT  LAND    . 

IV.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  REFUSES  TO  WRITE  HIS  NAME 

V.    THE  STANDARD  BEARER  LEADS  THE  LEGIONS        .        •        •     17S 

VI.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  A  TALE 

VII.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  PREPARES  FOR  A  HUNT   . 

VIII.  THE  STANDARD  BEARER  is  WORSTED  BY  A  BEAST 

7 


CONTENTS 
BOOK  YOUR -DUX 


:HAPTI 

JR 

PAGE 

I. 

THE  COMMANDER  EXERCISES  CLEMENCY 

.       205 

II. 

THE  COMMANDER  is  ATTACKED  BY  THE  ENEMY     . 

.       210 

III. 

THE  COMMANDER  HOLDS  THE  CAMP       .... 

.       214 

IV. 

THE  COMMANDER  PLAYS  THE  SPY  

.       225 

V. 

THE  COMMANDER  is  MADE  A  PRISONER 

•       233 

VI. 

THE  COMMANDER  is  NOT  SACRIFICED     .... 

.      238 

VII. 

THE  COMMANDER  FIGHTS  AND  RUNS  AWAY    . 

.       246 

BOOK  FIVE—  FIR 

I. 

THE  MAN  MEETS  A  GLAD  SURPRISE       .... 

•       255 

II. 

THE  MAN  FORGETS  HIS  MOTIVE     

.       264 

III. 

THE  MAN  SEES  A  GREAT  SIEGE  BEGUN 

.      270 

IV. 

THE  MAN  HEARS  ANOTHER  STORY          .... 

.       275 

V. 

THE  MAN  BECOMES  A  LIEUTENANT        .... 

.       283 

VI. 

THE  MAN  RECEIVES  HIS  GREATEST  JOY 

.       290 

VII. 

CONCLUSION     

.       296 

APPENDIX 

tfAP 

3O2 

5RON 

UNCIATION    OF    PROPER    NAMES     . 

103 

THE  SHEPHERD  MEETS  A  PROCONSUL 


JO 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  SHEPHERD  MEETS  A  PROCONSUL 

UNDER  a  spreading  beech  tree,  on  a  grassy  hillside, 
two  youths  whirled  about  each  other  with  quick  leaps 
and  gasps  for  breath.  Their  faces  were  beaded  with 
perspiration  and  their  clothes  as  wet  as  though  they 
had  been  dipped  in  the  little  lake  at  the  foot  of  the  hill. 
They  had  already  struggled  for  some  time  in  a  wrest- 
ling match,  and  were  still  striving,  each  for  the  better 
hold  to  throw  the  other. 

Suddenly,  Caius,  the  taller  and  more  slender,  raised 

both  arms  as  though  he  would  enfold  the  arms  and 

body  of  Titus,  who  was  short  and  thick.     To  prevent 

this,  Titus  awkwardly  flung  up  his  own  arms,  which 

was  exactly  what  the  other  had  planned.     Quick  as 

thought,  Caius  rushed  in  and  locked  both  arms  about 

the  big,  round  body  of  Titus.     Then  for  a  time  they 

swayed  back  and  forth,  breathing  hard  and  each  doing 

his  best  to  stretch  the  other  at  his  length  on  the  ground. 

Caius  had  the  advantage  of  hold,  Titus  that  of  weight 

and  age.     Try  as  he  would,  Caius  could  not  raise  his 

heavy  antagonist  from  the  ground,  for  at  every  such 

effort,  Titus  threw  his  legs  far  back  and  planted  his  feet 

firmly,  wide  apart. 


ii 


12  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Caius  soon  saw  that  if  he  won  at  all,  he  must  do  so 
by  other  tactics.  He  now  began  to  strain  with  all  his 
might  toward  his  own  left,  and  Titus,  to  keep  his  feet, 
pulled  hard  in  the  opposite  direction.  When  Caius 
felt  the  opposing  effort  of  Titus  sufficient,  quick  as  a 
flash,  he  yielded  to  the  pull  of  Titus,  and  at  the  same 
time,  threw  his  own  right  foot  on  the  outside  of  Titus's 
left,  thus  blocking  his  chance  at  a  firm  footing.  And 
so  they  fell  heavily  to  the  ground,  Caius  on  top. 

In  the  soft  carpet  of  grass,  neither  was  hurt.  They 
rose,  and  now  they  might  be  more  plainly  seen.  Caius 
was  tall  and  rather  slender :  seemingly  about  eighteen 
years  of  age,  with  a  sunburned,  frank,  open  face,  pleas- 
ant blue  eyes,  and  fair  hair,  and  withal,  an  air  of  uncon- 
scious nobility.  His  companion  was  short,  thick,  and 
dark,  with  a  stolid  and  rather  surly  visage.  He  was 
apparently  somewhat  older  then  Caius.  Both  wore 
wide  hats,  and  short,  armless,  woolen  tunics,  the  usual 
dress  of  Roman  farmers,  shepherds,  and  the  like.  On 
their  feet  were  sandals  held  in  place  by  means  of  leather 
thongs  crossed  and  bound  about  their  ankles  and  legs. 

Caius  now  sat,  or  rather  lay,  under  the  shade  of  the 
beech,  on  which  climbed  a  huge  grapevine,  hung  with 
the  odorous  clusters  of  its  white  bloom,  all  alive  with 
bees.  The  whole  hillside  was  covered  with  the  fresh, 
tender  grass  of  early  April,  and  sprinkled  over  with 
flowers  —  larkspurs,  anemones,  violets,  and  narcissus. 
At  the  foot  of  the  hill  lay  a  small  lake,  and  beyond  this 
stretched,  far  and  level,  the  Via  Flaminia,  the  great 
highway  from  Rome  to  northern  Italy.  On  the  margin 
of  the  little  lake  a  small  flock  of  sheep  was  feeding, 
guarded  by  a  white  shepherd  dog,  huge  and  fierce, 


THE    SHEPHERD   MEETS   A   PROCONSUL  13 

and  wearing  a  broad  collar,  thick  set  with  three-inch 
spikes,  a  protection  to  the  dog's  throat  against  the 
attack  of  wolves  from  the  mountains. 

Titus  had  continued  standing  after  he  rose  from  the 
ground.  "  You  did  not  throw  me  fairly,"  he  grumbled. 
"Come,  let  us  try  again." 

"No,  not  I,"  said  Caius.     "It  is  too  hot,  and  I  am 
weary  already  with  trying  to  lift  your  big  body, 
wrestled  just  now  only  to  please  you,  for  I  can  scarce 
reach    around   you,  and,  with    much    more    difficulty, 

throw  you." 

"  Come   on,   once   more/'    urged   Titus    stubbornly. 
"You  know  I   must   be  learning   and  training,   for 
intend  to  be  a  gladiator  like  those  who  fight  in  the 
games  at  Rome." 

"I  mean  to  be  a  brave,  strong  man,  too;  perhaps 
a  great  soldier,  maybe  a  famous  general.  Rome  is 
good  to  her  soldiers,"  said  Caius.  "  But  now  it  is  hot. 
We  may  do  our  hopes  harm  by  overexertion.  We 
may  wrestle  again,  perhaps  leap  and  box  also,  when  the 
sun  falls  lower  and  it  grows  cool.  Let  me  pipe  to  you, 


So  saying,  Caius  took  from  a  small  bush  where  he  had 
hung  it  a  musical  instrument  called  the  fistula,  made 
from  short  pieces  of  reeds  of  different  lengths,  and  began 
to  blow  on  it  so  gay  a  tune  that  Titus  soon  lay  down 
on  the  grass,  became  more  agreeable,  and  at  last  for- 
got to  frown. 

"Fortune  is  kind  to  you,  Caius,"  said  Titus  when 
his  companion  had  ceased  playing.  "You  have  old 
Simmias  to  teach  you,  and  so  you  are  well  learned. 
You  wrestle,  leap,  box,  throw  the  quoit,  and  know 


14  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

music.  Now  here  am  I,  a  great  lumbering  fellow, 
anxious  to  do  these  things  well,  and  yet  I  am  awkward 
and  clumsy  in  all.  I  suppose  it  is  because  I  am  a 
common  rustic  and  have  no  teacher." 

"Now,  don't  overrate  my  poor  talents,"  answered 
Caius.  "You  have  a  big  true  heart  as  well  as  a  great 
strong  body,  and  I  will  ask  mother  to  let  Simmias  give 
you  lessons.  I  am  sure  you  will  soon  learn  as  much  as 
I  know,  for  the  sheep  keep  me  too  busy  to  learn  much." 

"No,"  said  Titus,  "I  don't  expect  to  learn  as  well 
as  you,  for  my  father  knows  when  you  and  your  mother 
came  here.  He  says  you  are  patricians.  But  if 
you  are  so  good  as  to  give  me  this  chance,  I  will  do 
my  best  what  time  I  can  be  spared  from  the  plow. 
Taxes  and  the  robberies  of  our  thievish  neighbors  keep 
me  busy  in  making  a  living.  Besides,  this  year  old 
Meturio  looked  on  our  crops  with  the  evil  eye,  and 
all  our  olives,  figs,  and  barley  have  spoiled.  But  I 
shall  find  some  time  to  learn.  They  say  the  gladiators 
are  held  in  great  honor  and  win  much  wealth  at  Rome, 
and  if  Simmias  will  teach  me  enough,  I  mean  to  go 
there  to  win  my  fortune  and  leave  off  fooling  with 
crops  on  rocky  hills.  But  what  mean  those  birds  flying 
at  the  edge  of  the  wood  beyond  the  pasture  land  ?" 

"Very  likely  a  hawk  has  come  down  and  is  trying 
to  catch  a  supper  from  among  them,"  replied  Caius. 

"No,  we  should  see  the  hawk  as  well  as  the  birds," 
said  Titus.  "I  prefer  to  think  it  a  good  omen  for  our 
future.  See  !  They  are  flying  toward  our  right.  I  am 
sure  that  is  an  omen  —  a  good  one  for  us  who  see  it." 

"I  hope  it  is,"  said  Caius.  "But  who  made  you 
an  augur  to  interpret  omens  from  the  flight  of  birds  ? " 


THE    SHEPHERD   MEETS    A    PROCONSUL  15 

"Well,  no  one  made  me  an  augur,  but  I  know  omens. 
Whether  you  believe  that  a  good  omen  or  not,  this  is 
certain  :  the  sun  is  now  far  over  toward  the  setting 
place,  and  that  is  an  omen  that  night  is  coming.  So 
I  must  run  back  to  my  work.  Farewell." 

"Farewell,  till  to-morrow,"  answered  Caius. 

Then  Titus  ran  off  down  the  hill,  around  the  end  of 
the  little  lake,  across  the  road,  on  beyond,  and  soon 
disappeared  around  a  line  of  gnarled  olive  trees  that 
stood  on  the  border  of  the  field  where  he  had  left  his 
work  to  seek  the  companionship  of  the  young  shepherd 
on  the  hillside. 

Caius  watched  Titus  out  of  sight.  When  he  turned 
to  look  to  his  sheep  once  more,  he  saw  his  dog,  Lucan, 
with  bristles  erect,  angry  and  snarling,  looking  toward 
the  wood  where  the  boys  had,  so  short  a  time  before, 
remarked  the  flying  birds.  Turning  his  own  eye  in 
that  direction,  Caius  saw  two  men  coming  toward  him. 
They  moved  rapidly,  and  were  soon  near  enough  to 
be  clearly  seen.  Both  were  clad  in  the  common  dress 
of  working  people,  with  the  difference  that  the  gar- 
ments of  these  two  were  of  cloth  striped  with  gay 
colors  —  red,  blue,  and  green.  They  wore  besides  a 
sort  of  loose  trousers  of  the  same  varied  colors.  Each 
carried  a  large  sword,  old,  rusty,  and  gapped,  slung 
from  his  shoulder  by  means  of  leathern  straps.  Each 
appeared  to  be  about  sixty  years  of  age,  with  gray 
hair  and  beard,  longish  stolid  face,  and  fierce  blue  eyes. 
Snag-toothed,  unkempt  men  they  were,  rough,  harsh, 
careless  and  reckless. 

"It  was  they  who  frightened  the  birds,"  said  Caius 
to  himself.  "Truly  a  bad  omen  for  me,  I  fear." 


l6  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Meantime  the  two  men  came  up,  while  the  dog  took 
position  as  near  as  possible  between  Caius,  the  sheep, 
and  the  two  men,  showing  his  long,  sharp,  white  fangs, 
and  snarling  fiercely. 

"Come,  boy,  keep  your  dog  quiet,  now,"  said  one 
of  the  men.  "We  want  only  a  sheep  or  two  to  cele- 
brate the  great  victory  of  Chaeronaea,  where  we  won 
much  glory  under  old  Sulla  —  may  all  the  Roman 
gods  keep  him!" 

"What  will  you  pay  me  for  the  sheep  ?"  asked 
Caius. 

"  Pay  ?  We  don't  pay  for  anything  we  want,  not  we, 
old  soldiers  of  Sulla.  So  keep  your  dog  back.  The 
less  noise  you  make,  the  quicker  and  easier  will  all  be 
over."  So  saying,  they  unslung  their  swords  and 
advanced  toward  the  sheep. 

But  Caius  had  no  intention  of  giving  up  any  of  his 
flock  without  an  effort  to  save  them.  He  was  now 
moving  down  the  hill  toward  his  sheep,  his  long,  heavy 
wooden  shepherd's  crook  in  hand. 

"No  trouble,  now,  my  boy.  Let  us  have  the  sheep 
and  we  will  be  gone  shortly  and  out  of  your  way," 
answered  one. 

"You  shall  not  have  them  unless  you  pay  me  their 
value,"  said  Caius. 

"All  right.  We  have  given  you  fair  warning.  We 
shan't  pay,  but  we  shall  take  the  sheep.  At  them, 
Eredox,"  he  cried,  "and  cut  down  three  or  four  of  the 
best  and  fattest.  I  will  keep  the  boy  and  the  dog 
away." 

By  this  rime  the  men,  Caius,  and  the  dog,  all  moving 
down  the  hill,  had  nearly  reached  the  flock.  Old 


THE  SHEPHERD  MEETS  A  PROCONSUL 


Eredox  made  a  dash  and  tried  to  kill  one  with  his  sword, 
but  gentle  as  they  were,  they  all  took  fright  at  this, 
and  scattered,  scampering  helter-skelter  among  the 
hedges  and  hillocks.  The  dog  had  quickly  seized 
Eredox  by  the  calf  of  the  leg, 
and  with  a  great  surge,  dragged 
him  to  the  ground,  just  as  Eredox 
slashed  at  him  with  his  sword. 
The  dog  adroitly  dodged  this 


blow  as  well  as  a  second  which  the  other  robber  rushed 
in  and  aimed  at  him. 

Caius  meanwhile  lunged  and  struck  heavily  at  the 
one  who  had  agreed  to  stand  guard.  The  latter 
parried  this  blow,  at  the  same  time  hurling  himself 
at  Caius  and  aiming  a  cut  with  his  long  sword.  This 


1 8  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Caius  barely  evaded,  and  was  only  saved  from  another 
by  the  dog's  fierce  attack  on  the  man.  But  the  dog 
came  in  now  for  a  savage  slash  which  would  have  cut 
his  head  clean  off  his  body  but  for  the  thick,  wide 
collar  with  its  iron  spikes.  As  it  was,  the  faithful 
animal  was  stretched  at  his  length  on  the  grass. 

Eredox  being  now  up  again,  both  robbers  charged 
furiously  upon  Caius,  who  retreated  slowly  before  them. 
Old  Eredox,  fairly  foaming  with  rage,  came  on  ahead  of 
the  other,  howling  and  swearing  and  slashing  like  a 
madman.  Caius  watched  his  chance  and  skillfully  laid 
a  sounding  knock  on  his  head  with  his  heavy  staff. 
Seeing  the  man  stunned,  with  a  second  quick  blow,  he 
knocked  the  sword  from  the  hand  of  the  old  rascal, 
who  yelled  with  pain  and  fell  back  out  of  reach. 

The  other  of  the  two  was  just  coming  up  to  Caius, 
when  now  was  heard  in  the  distance  the  roar  of  chariot 
wheels  and  the  hammering  of  horses'  hoofs  on  the  hard, 
stone-paved  Via  Flaminia.  The  two  robbers  at  once 
ceased  their  attack  to  look  in  the  direction  whence  the 
noise  came.  A  single  glance  was  sufficient  to  show 
them,  moving  swiftly  forward  along  the  great  Roman 
road,  several  chariots  in  which,  under  the  rays  of  the 
late  evening  sun,  appeared  the  glow  of  burnished  brass, 
the  flutter  of  Roman  standards,  and  the  clear  white 
glitter  of  the  polished  steel  points  of  armed  men. 

The  old  rogue  who  still  retained  his  sword  took  to  his 
heels.  Eredox  was  just  on  the  point  of  following,  when 
Caius  gave  him  a  final  whack  on  the  head,  and  the 
dog,  now  recovered,  seized  him  by  the  throat,  and  with 
a  fierce  snarling  and  growling,  dragged  him  down.  It 
was  with  difficulty  that  Caius  prevented  the  enraged 


THE  SHEPHERD  MEETS  A  PROCONSUL       19 

brute  from  tearing  the  man's  throat  into  bloody 
shreds,  and  he  succeeded  in  pulling  the  dog  off  only 
just  as  the  chariots  came  up  and  stopped  in  the  road, 
by  the  little  lake. 

A  man  in  the  second  chariot  from  the  front  at  once 
called  to  Caius  to  come  down  to  the  road.  Not  know- 
ing what  else  to  do,  Caius  signaled  to  the  dog  to  follow, 
and  obeyed.  Old  Eredox  quickly  sprang  up  and  ran 
away,  leaving  a  red  trail  on  the  green  grass,  for  Lucan's 
teeth  had  left  his  throat  ragged  and  bloody. 

"What  was  the  trouble?"  asked  a  second  man  in 
the  chariot,  as  Caius  approached.  His  voice  was 
wonderfully  clear  and  low,  dignified  yet  friendly  —  a 
tone  which  implied  also  that  he  had  small  time  or 
temper  to  listen  to  useless  details. 

"They  were  trying  to  take  my  sheep,"  answered 
Caius.  Then  led  on  by  the  stranger's  kindly  look  of 
inquiry,  he  briefly  related  the  occurrence.  While  doing 
so  he  had  opportunity  to  observe  his  questioner  —  a 
man  about  forty  years  of  age,  somewhat  tall,  not  stout, 
and  yet  not  a  weak  line  in  his  whole  body.  He  wore  a 
white  tunic  of  richest  material,  and  over  this  was 
thrown  with  a  seeming  carelessness  that  gave  a  touch  of 
grace  rather  than  of  negligence,  a  short  scarlet  mantle, 
edged  with  gold,  and  caught  together  on  the  left 
shoulder  with  a  jeweled  clasp.  On  his  head  he  wore  a 
soft  traveling  cap  and  he  was  shod  with  pliant  leather 
sandals.  His  face  was  rather  pale.  A  large  nose,  full 
firm  lips,  and  dark  piercing  eyes  were  overhung  by  a 
forehead,  broad  and  high.  There  were  lines  and 
seams,  too,  of  power  and  set  purpose.  All  together  he 
was  a  man  whose  quick  and  vivid  energy,  bold  deter- 

STANDARD    BEARER 2 


2O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

mined  will,  and  masterful  intelligence  caused  Caius 
to  feel  at  once  that  he  would  love  and  respect  this  man 
friendly  to  him,  and  would  hate  and  fear  him  hostile. 
The  young  shepherd  knew  by  instinct  that  he  was  in 
the  presence  of  one  who  would  spare  none  of  his  vast 
energy  in  executing  the  far-reaching  plans  which  his 
august  and  massive  intellect  might  conceive  and  his 
inflexible  will  determine. 

He  heard  Caius  to  the  end  and  then  said,  "You 
fought  well,  but  it  is  perhaps  fortunate  that  we  came. 
Now,  what  is  your  name  ?" 

"Caius  Volcatius  Tullus,"  answered  the  youth. 

The  man  started  with  something  like  surprise  and, 
dropping  his  eyes,  seemed  trying  to  call  to  mind  some- 
thing long  forgotten.  But  this  action  occupied  only 
a  moment.  "Caius  Volcatius  Tullus,"  he  mused, 
looking  now  hard  at  Caius.  "Well,"  he  continued, 
"we  have  the  same  name,  at  least  in  part.  Perhaps 
this  is  a  good  omen  for  you  or  for  me,  perhaps  for  both. 
My  name  is  Caius  Julius  Caesar." 

The  young  shepherd  stared  in  astonishment.  He 
now  knew  what  he  might  have  known  from  the 
bright  red  cloak,  had  he  been  better  versed  in  the  mean- 
ing of  military  dress,  that  this  was  a  general.  From 
current  rumor,  he  was  informed  that  this  was  the 
proconsul  to  Gaul.  He  knew,  too,  that  this  man  was 
reputed  the  favorite  of  the  Roman  populace.  Caius 
stood  speechless,  not  knowing  what  to  say. 

Meanwhile,  noting  the  broad  chest,  muscular  arms, 
long  slender  body,  and  sinewy  calves  and  feet  of  the 
youth,  Caesar  continued,  "You  have  the  certain  marks 
of  a  good  soldier.  Would  you  like  to  be  one  ?" 


THE    SHEPHERD   MEETS    A   PROCONSUL  21 

"Nothing  would  please  me  better,"  replied  Caius. 

" Good/'  cried  Caesar.  "Will  you  go  to  Gaul  with  me 
and  learn  ? " 

"Sir,"  answered  the  boy,  "I  would  gladly  do  so  if 
my  mother  could  spare  me.  But  I  fear  I  must  remain 
at  home  with  her,  as  she  and  I  live  alone  except  for 
old  Simmias  and  his  wife.  She  needs  me  to  care  for 
the  sheep  and  olives." 

"Caius,  I  should  be  pleased  to  have  you  go  with  me, 
if  you  wish  it  and  can  arrange  for  the  care  of  your 
mother.  A  body  of  my  soldiers  will  pass  this  way  to- 
morrow. I  will  give  you  a  note  to  Quintus  Pedius, 
their  commander.  They  will  spend  the  night  at 
yonder  village  of  Spoletum.  Join  them  there  if  you 
can,"  said  Caesar.  Then  he  added  to  a  third  man  in 
the  chariot,  "Write  the  note  to  Pedius  concerning  the 
youth,  and  quickly,  for  we  must  proceed." 

The  secretary,  for  such  he  was,  rapidly  wrote  on  a 
small  piece  of  parchment,  folded  and  tied  it  around  with 
a  slender  linen  thread,  and  sealed  it  with  a  small 
piece  of  wax  on  which  Caesar  stamped  the  impression  of 
the  seal  which  he  wore  on  a  chain.  This  note  was 
handed  to  Caius.  Then  at  a  word  from  Caesar,  the 
company  dashed  forward  on  the  highway  toward 
Ravenna,  the  seat  of  government  of  Cisalpine  Gaul. 

In  amazement  at  this  sudden  fortune,  Caius  gazed 
after  the  warlike  troop  with  its  pennons,  crests,  and 
togas  floating  in  the  breeze  that  now  stirred.  A  chance 
to  go  to  Gaul  in  the  army  of  Caius  Julius  Caesar,  the 
idol  of  Rome ! 

But  now  the  bleating  of  the  sheep  suddenly  brought 
his  thoughts  back  from  the  glories  of  future  wars  to 


22  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

the  duties  of  present  peace.  "Come,  Lucan,  gather 
the  sheep,"  he  said,  to  the  dog;  and  blowing  a  peculiar 
call  on  his  fistula,  he  soon  had  the  sheep  collected. 

The  sun  had  now  set  in  a  bank  of  fire,  leaving  the  sky 
and  fleeting  clouds  a  glory  of  shining  gold  and  glowing 
tints  and  sparkling  gems.  Crickets  were  chirping, 
and  frogs  began  to  croak  and  chatter  on  the  margin 
of  the  little  lake.  So  Caius,  seconded  by  the  dog,  led 
the  sheep  past  the  tree  where  he  had  wrestled  and 
piped,  along  by  the  barley  field  bordered  with  fig 
trees,  to  the  little  home  over  which  three  tall,  long- 
armed  cypresses  kept  guard. 

The  sheep  were  soon  disposed  of  for  the  night,  and 
then  with  brain  awhirl  and  heart  afire  with  excitement 
and  hope,  the  youth  went  into  the  house. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE   SHEPHERD  HEARS   A   STORY 

CAMILLA,  the  mother  of  Caius,  was  waiting  for  him. 
She  was  a  handsome  and  portly  Roman  matron,  of  a 
quiet,  dignified  mien.  "Caius,  you  are  late,"  she  said 
as  he  approached.  "Has  anything  happened  ?" 

"Yes,  mother,"  he  answered  calmly,  not  willing  to 
alarm  her.  "But  I  am  not  hurt,  and  no  harm  is  done." 

"I  am  glad  all  is  well,"  she  said.  "Your  supper  is 
waiting.  Come,  eat  first,  and  afterward  you  shall  tell 
me  all." 

Then  with  her  own  hands,  Camilla  waited  on  her  son 
while  he  ate  a  meal  of  coarse  barley  bread,  milk,  curd, 
and  some  dried  figs.  But  the  supper  was  soon  finished, 
for  Caius  in  his  eagerness  to  tell  his  mother  the  occur- 
rences of  the  evening  could  hardly  wait  to  satisfy  his 
boyish  appetite. 

When  he  had  finished,  he  sat  near  her  on  a  small 
wooden  stool  and  related  to  her  the  attack  of  the  rob- 
bers on  the  sheep.  To  this  she  listened  with  indignant 
anger.  However,  she  said  nothing.  But  when  he 
told  of  the  meeting  with  Caesar,  she  felt  a  delight  she 
could  not  conceal. 

"Why  do  you  smile  and  look  glad,  mother  ?  "  inquired 
the  boy.  "Is  it  because  you  wish  me  to  go  away  to  be 
a  soldier  ?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  something,  first,  Caius,"  she  answered, 
"and  then  you  will  know  why  I  smile,  and  you  yourself 

23 


24  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

shall  decide  whether  you  will  follow  Caesar  to  Gaul, 
or  not." 

Then,  while  Caius  listened  with  wide-eyed  and 
breathless  interest,  Camilla  began:  "Your  father 
was  of  a  noble  and  ancient  family  in  Rome.  He  was 
handsome  and  brave.  He  was  educated  in  Greece, 
and  loved  his  books.  But  wars  came  on,  and  he  left 
his  books  and  study  to  serve  as  a  lieutenant  in  the  army 
of  Caius  Marius  against  Jugurtha  in  Africa.  He  also 
fought  with  Marius  against  the  Cimbrians  and  Teutons 
when  those  dreadful  barbarians  seemed  likely  to  overrun 
all  Italy  with  fire  and  sword.  During  the  battle  with 
the  former  in  the  Raudian  Plains  his  left  hand  was  shorn 
off  by  a  huge,  long-bearded,  red-headed  Cimbrian 
giant.  After  this  he  retired  from  the  army,  he  and  I 
were  married,  and  we  lived  at  Rome.  He  gave  his 
time  to  the  management  of  his  three  farms  in  other 
parts  of  Italy,  and  to  the  reading  and  study  of  his 
books.  We  were  very  happy,  especially  after  you  came. 

"Meanwhile,  the  soothsayers  predicted  direful  events 
to  occur  in  Italy  and  Rome.  For  it  was  reported  that 
fearful  prodigies  had  appeared  in  various  places.  A 
cow  in  Campania  was  heard  to  speak  the  words, 
'Danger  and  Death.'  At  Rome  the  statue  of  Tiberius 
Gracchus  was  observed  to  shed  tears  which  ran  down 
the  face  and  became  drops  of  blood.  Also  a  spear  in 
the  hand  of  the  statue  of  Mars  moved  with  a  great 
rattle  and  clangor.  By  order  of  the  consuls,  a  sacrifice 
of  larger  victims  was  made.  But  despite  sacrifice 
and  prayer  to  the  gods,  all  the  time  a  dark  cloud  was 
gathering  over  Rome  which  would  shut  out  the  sun  of 
prosperity  and  happiness  from  us  and  thousands  of 


THE    SHEPHERD    HEARS    A    STORY  25 

others.  The  struggle  for  supremacy  between  Marius 
and  Sulla  was  on,  waxing  ever  more  bitter  as  their 
mutual  hatred  grew  more  violent.  When  Sulla  had 
once  come  to  power,  he  put  to  death  some  of  the  friends 
of  Marius.  Later,  Marius  came  to  rule  Rome  and  he 
had  large  numbers  of  Sulla's  followers  cruelly  butchered 
by  freed  slaves.  And  thus  their  passions  grew  more 
deadly.  At  last  Sulla  returned  victorious  from  his 
wars  with  the  great  Mithridates  in  the  far  East.  He 
defeated  all  the  Marian  armies  in  Italy,  took  possession 
of  Rome,  and  at  once  coolly  set  about  a  terrible  reckon- 
ing. He  first  massacred  eight  thousand  captive  Marian 
soldiers  in  the  Circus." 

Camilla  stopped,  seeming  to  recoil  from  the  relation 
of  the  horrors  that  followed,  but,  led  on  by  the  intent 
silence  of  Caius,  she  continued  :  "All  Rome  was  in 
alarm.  Most  citizens  remained  at  home  unless  duty 
called  them  out.  Your  father,  conscious  of  having 
done  no  wrong,  continued  to  come  and  go  about  his 
business.  A  day  or  two  after  Sulla  had  entered  the 
city,  he  returned  home  early.  His  face  was  troubled, 
and  in  reply  to  my  questions,  he  said  that  Rome  would 
quickly  be  drenched  with  the  blood  of  her  own  citizens. 
He  said  that  Sulla  had  nailed  up  in  the  Forum  a  long 
list  of  those  who  had  opposed  him.  Pardons  as  well 
as  rewards  were  offered  to  any  who  would  kill  those 
named  on  the  list. 

"Your  father  had  hardly  told  me  these  things,  when 
we  heard  a  piercing  scream  that  checked  the  blood  in 
our  veins  and  almost  stiffened  us— with  fear.  We 
rushed  to  the  door,  and  looking  forth  across  the  street, 
we  saw  Cornelia,  the  wife  of  Lucius  Curo,  fallen  forward 


26 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


on  the  dead  body  of  her  husband  in  an  agony  of  grief, 
while  strutting  away  were  three  insolent  soldiers,  one 
carrying  in  his  hand  the  head  of  Curo,  ghastly  and 
dripping  blood.  A  little  farther  on  we  saw  them  attack 
another  Roman  knight.  Your  father  was  in  the  act 
of  rushing  out  to  give  him  aid,  but  I  held  him  to  me  so 


he  could  not.  I  feared  to  bring  the  ruffians  upon  our 
house.  Horror  drove  me  into  the  innermost  parts  of 
our  house,  but  the  walls  could  not  shut  out  the  screams 
and  shrieks  of  terror-stricken  women  and  children 
as  they  beheld  some  relative  stabbed  or  saw  his  head 
shorn  off.  The  slaughter  went  on  all  that  day  and  did 
not  cease  with  the  coming  of  night. 

"The  next  morning  a  longer  list  of  names  appeared 


THE    SHEPHERD    HEARS    A    STORY  2/ 

in  the  Forum.  Then  it  was  said  that  the  property  of 
those  put  to  death  was  to  be  given  to  those  who  executed 
them.  Everywhere,  now,  could  be  seen  bands  of 
soldiers  and  rude  Gauls  hired  for  the  purpose,  roving 
the  streets  and  slaughtering,  while  on  every  side  the 
cries  and  shrieks  and  moans  of  the  wretched  victims 
pierced  our  ears. 

"Pale  fear  laid  her  hand  on  man,  woman,  and  child. 
Every  one  began  to  plan  how  he  might  most  surely 
save  himself.  Many  with  old  grudges  contrived  to 
get  their  enemies'  names  on  the  black  lists,  and  thus  to 
rid  themselves  of  those  they  feared  or  hated.  The 
avaricious  got  the  names  of  the  wealthy  on  the  lists 
and  then  claimed  their  houses,  villas,  and  lands.  The 
wife  of  one  of  our  neighbors  betrayed  her  husband. 
She  soon  got  his  property.  A  friend  of  ours,  Mutilus, 
found  his  own  name  upon  the  list.  He  fled.  Then 
at  night  he  came  disguised  to  the  door  of  his  wife's 
house  to  beg  for  comfort  and  protection.  With  abuse 
and  curses  she  told  him  he  was  a  forbidden  man,  no 
better  than  a  corpse.  She  refused  to  admit  him. 
And  there  on  her  threshold,  he  stabbed  himself  and 
sprinkled  her  door  with  his  warm  life  blood.  And  so 
the  madness  raged.  Lifelong  friends  were  given  up, 
and  lovers  betrayed  each  other.  Husbands  saved  them- 
selves by  reporting  their  wives,  and  mothers  by  handing 
over  their  daughters.  Fathers  betrayed  their  sons ; 
sons,  their  fathers.  Most  incredible  to  relate,  a  mother, 
one  Crispina,  gave  the  praetor  her  son's  name  as  a 
traitor  to  Sulla,  and  he  was  beheaded  before  her  eyes. 
So  none  were  safe  and  all  to  be  feared,  and  the  black 
list  grew  day  by  day. 


28  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

The  streets  presented  a  horrible  spectacle.  In  one 
place  so  many  men  were  butchered  that  streams  of 
blood  flowed  on  the  rough  stone  pavement  like  water 
in  a  spring  flood.  The  dead  lay  unburied,  and  the 
stench  was  like  that  of  a  battlefield.  Headless,  bloated, 
blackened  bodies  floated  on  the  yellow  waters  of  the 
Tiber.  Vultures  swarmed  and  dogs  slunk  about  in 
packs,  and  glutted  themselves  on  putrid  flesh  torn  from 
the  limbs  of  Rome's  proudest  patricians.  In  the  Forum 
were  pyramids  of  human  heads,  with  the  glazed  and 
sightless  eyes  staring  unseeing  through  tangled,  blood- 
clotted  mats  of  hair.  On  the  main  streets  stood  rows  of 
upright  spears,  each  topped  with  a  head,  grinning  and 
horrid. 

"Most  of  our  servants,  overcome  with  terror,  left  us. 
But  Simmias  remained  true  to  the  last.  He  kept  about 
his  duties  as  though  nothing  unusual  were  happening. 
Your  father,  also,  came  and  went  freely  on  the  streets, 
but  under  a  secret  dread.  At  length,  one  day,  he 
returned  home  toward  night  and  said  that  he  had,  by 
chance,  overheard  Marcus  Bassa,  who  was  an  old 
personal  enemy,  and  another  man  speaking  of  your 
father's  having  served  under  Marius,  and  what  was  of 
more  importance  to  them,  he  had  a  large  amount  of 
property.  We  were  now  much  alarmed,  knowing  full 
well  that  his  name  would  be  on  the  list  next  day.  So 
we  began  at  once  to  make  hasty  preparations  for  leaving 
Rome.  But  we  had  hardly  set  about  the  task,  before 
three  villainous-looking  Gauls  who  had  stealthily 
followed  him  appeared,  and  in  barbarous  accents  called 
for  him  to  come  forth.  He  felt  that  there  was  no 
escape,  and  so  like  a  brave  man,  he  presented  himself, 


THE    SHEPHERD    HEARS    A    STORY  29 

sword  in  hand.  The  men  began  to  quarrel  in  Gallic 
fashion,  as  to  which  should  attack  him  first,  and  he, 
quickly  seizing  the  opportunity,  stabbed  the  first  who 
came  near,  and  wounded  the  next,  but  meanwhile  the 
third  had  run  behind  him  and  thrust  him  through  the 
back.  He  fell  in  a  great  pool  of  blood.  A  dizzy, 
sickening  horror  almost  overcame  me,  but  I  caught 
you  up  and  tried  to  run. 

"Just  then  Simmias  entered,  returning  from  the  market 
place.  'We  must  fly/  he  said.  He  and  Chloe  quickly 
dressed  me  as  a  servant.  It  had  now  grown  dark,  and 
we  went  out  into  the  street  by  a  back  way.  No  one 
molested  us,  and  we  hastened  toward  one  of  the  breaches 
in  the  wall  that  Sulla  had  made  when  he  took  the  city. 
Simmias  carried  you,  a  babe  of  two  years,  in  his  arms, 
while  Chloe  and  I  hurried  after  him.  As  we  neared 
the  place,  close  by  the  temple  of  Neptune,  we  found 
ourselves  approached  by  a  chariot,  the  occupant  of 
which,  in  a  low  tone,  called  Simmias  by  name.  Then 
we  were  almost  frozen  with  fear,  thinking  we  should 
be  arrested,  but  there  was  no  chance  to  escape. 
Simmias  answered,  and  we  found  that  the  occupant  of 
the  chariot  was  none  other  than  Julius  Caesar,  then  a 
priest  of  Jupiter,  and  a  friend  of  your  father's.  He  had 
recognized  Simmias  in  the  dark,  and,  fearing  some  evil 
had  befallen  the  family,  he  had  called  him.  Our  story 
was  quickly  told.  Caesar,  too,  was  leaving  Rome, 
seeking  safety  in  flight,  because  he  had  refused  to 
divorce  his  young  and  beautiful  wife  at  the  command 
of  Sulla. 

"Caesar  took  three  of  us  —  Chloe,  you,  and  me  —  into 
his  chariot,  and  Simmias  followed  on  foot.  Instead  of 


30  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

going  on  to  the  breach  in  the  wall  through  which 
Simmias  had  expected  to  steal  with  us,  Caesar  boldly 
followed  the  street  leading  to  the  Flaminian  gate  that 
opens  on  the  Via  Flaminia.  At  the  gate,  a  soldier  on 
guard  challenged  him.  "A  priest  of  Jupiter  with  his 
servants  going  forth  into  the  country,"  carelessly 
answered  Caesar,  and  we  were  allowed  to  pass  without 
further  question. 

"Once  out  upon  the  road,  it  was  agreed  that  Caesar 
should  take  us  to  this  little  farm  which  belonged 
to  your  father,  while  Simmias  was  to  follow  as  best  he 
could.  Then  Caesar  drove  rapidly  northward,  and 
lodged  us  here  safely.  Caesar  went  his  way.  He  has 
since,  as  you  know,  climbed  to  place  and  power  at  Rome. 

"We  were  very  lonely  here  and  had  to  live  very  hard. 
Soon  rumors  reached  us  that  our  home  at  Rome  had 
been  given  by  Sulla  to  Bassa  and  his  associates,  and  our 
other  property  had  been  confiscated.  The  next  year 
Sulla  settled  many  of  his  legions  in  towns  in  various 
parts  of  Italy.  One  legion  composed  largely  of  Gauls 
was  settled  at  Spoletum,  here  right  at  us.  Many  citi- 
zens of  the  place  had  supported  Marius  in  the  struggle 
with  Sulla.  So  their  lands  were  given  to  these  old 
Gallic  soldiers.  The  large  farm  with  the  handsome 
villa  that  lies  between  here  and  Spoletum  was  ours. 
It,  too,  was  taken  and  given  to  these  hated  Gauls.  Our 
last  hope  of  a  comfortable  home  was  thus  removed, 
and  we  were  left  only  this  poor  little  farm,  and  worst 
of  all,  we  were  almost  surrounded  with  rough  soldiers, 
men  who  knew  no  law  and  feared  nothing,  and  who, 
worst  of  all,  would  be  our  enemies,  should  they  once 
find  out  who  we  were. 


THE    SHEPHERD    HEARS    A    STORY  3! 

"I  do  not  know  how  it  was,  but  this  little  farm  was 
overlooked  when  the  rest  of  the  property  was  confis- 
cated. So  we  have  dwelt  here.  Simmias  and  Chloe 
have  remained  with  us  and  have  been  faithful  beyond  all 
belief.  As  you  know,  he  has  taught  you  and  cared  for 
you  as  a  son,  while  Chloe  has  been,  though  a  servant, 
almost  a  sister  to  me." 

"Mother,  why  have  you  never  told  me  these  things 
before?"  asked  Caius  when  his  mother  had  ceased. 

"Because,  Caius,  as  we  were  surrounded  with  these 
Gallic  soldiers,  among  whom,  perhaps,  might  be  the 
very  one  who  had  robbed  your  father  of  his  life,  I 
feared  your  pride  in  the  matter  might  lead  to  trouble 
with  them.  We  have  never  been  molested  further 
than  by  an  occasional  robbery.  But  if  they  had  once 
found  out  who  we  are,  they  would  likely  have  given  us 
a  great  deal  of  care.  They  have  always  believed  that 
we  are  only  plebeian  farmers." 

"I  wish  now  that  I  had  let  Lucan  kill  the  old  rascal 
called  Eredox  this  evening,"  said  Caius,  his  face  white 
with  grief  and  rage.  "Mother,  may  I  go  with  Caesar 
and  learn  to  be  a  soldier  ?  Perhaps  in  some  way  I  may 
be  able  to  recover  something  of  what  we  have  lost." 

"Yes,  my  son,  now  that  Caesar  has  opened  the  way 
for  you  to  a  soldier's  career,  I  am  glad,  and  you  may 
go.  I  believe  you  can  win  new  honor  for  the  old  name, 
and  above  all,  avenge  your  father's  death.  I  will  make 
any  sacrifice  for  you  to  go.  Caesar  is  a  man  of  power, 
is  just,  and  a  friend  of  the  people's  rights." 

Caius  was  so  touched  by  the  knowledge  of  what  his 
mother  had  lost  in  life  and  the  suffering  she  had  en- 


32  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

dured,  that  he  had  no  words  to  express  himself.  So  he 
was  silent.  Boylike,  he  was  glad,  too,  that  he  could 
become  a  soldier  with  his  mother's  consent.  But  after 
a  time,  he  said,  "Mother,  I  shall  go.  I  will  do  all  in 
my  power  to  win  fame  and  fortune  in  order  that  your 
life  may  be  more  happy  than  it  has  been  here." 

"Caius,  I  have  been  happy  here  in  seeing  you  grow 
large  and  strong,  and  in  the  hope  that  times  will 
change.  I  grieve  sorely  to  part  with  you,  but  I  feel 
sure  it  is  best  for  us  both.  So,  go." 

"I  will,"  declared  Caius.  "And  you  shall  have  no 
cause  on  my  part  to  regret  sending  me.  I  think  Titus 
will  keep  the  sheep,  and  I  can  give  him  a  part  of  my 
pay  as  a  soldier.  Besides,  he  is  eager  to  learn,  and  if 
you  are  willing,  Simmias  shall  teach  him." 

And  so  mother  and  son  made  plans  late  into  the 
night. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE   SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE   PROCONSUL 

AFTER  Caius  had  retired  to  his  straw  bed,  he  lay  long 
awake.  He  tried  to  rest  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the 
other,  but  his  mind  was  in  such  a  fever  of  excitement 
that  sleep  would  not  come.  Now  he  grew  hot  with 
anger  at  the  memory  of  his  fight  with  the  hateful 
Gauls  who  had  tried  to  rob  him  of  his  sheep ;  then  he 
thought  on  the  face  and  form  and  words  of  Caesar; 
and  next,  visions  of  future  glory  as  a  soldier  flashed  upon 
his  mind's  eye.  Then  he  ground  his  teeth  with  rage 
at  the  thought  of  his  father's  being  slaughtered  and 
lying  unburied,  and  it  seemed  his  heart  must  burst 
when  he  realized  the  poverty  in  which  his  mother  had 
been  compelled  to  live  all  these  years,  when  the  best 
that  Rome  could  afford  should  have  been  hers. 

Over  and  over  again  these  thoughts  chased  each 
other  in  his  brain,  and  over  and  over  again  he  turned 
his  body.  At  last  all  grew  confused  and  he  knew  no 
more  until,  suddenly,  it  seemed  that  he  and  Titus 
were  down  under  the  shade  of  the  old  beech  tree, 
about  to  cut  a  melon  with  a  big  knife.  Then  in  a  flash 
the  scene  changed,  and  old  Eredox  was  standing  over 
him  just  ready  to  hack  off  his  head  with  the  old 
gapped  sword.  He  could  actually  feel  the  rusty  blade 
sawing  on  his  neck,  when,  with  a  jump  and  a  gasp, 
he  awoke,  glad  to  find  it  was  only  a  dream. 

A  bar  of  sunlight  was  falling  in  his  room,  and  so  he 

33 


34  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

hastily  got  to  his  feet  and  dressed.  Indoors  his  mother 
and  Chloe  were  busy  about  household  duties,  while 
outside  Simmias  was  feeding  the  cows,  chickens,  pigs, 
and  pigeons. 

"Simmias,  you  didn't  know  that  I  am  to  be  a 
soldier?"  cried  Caius,  as  he  hurried  into  the  yard. 

"No,"  replied  Simmias,  rather  glumly,  as  Caius 
thought.  "Your  mother  has  just  now  told  me  and 
Chloe  of  your  chances  and  your  plans,  but  I  think 
you  had  best  stay  here  and  take  care  of  her.  The 
robbers  may  take  all  the  sheep  and  olives,  too,  if  you 
are  not  here." 

"Now,  I  know  you  too  well  to  believe  you  think  any 
such  thing,"  said  Caius.  "I  am  sure  you  will  be  glad 
for  me  to  go  if  it  is  possible.  I  know,  too,  that  you 
and  Chloe  will  take  good  care  of  mother  for  me,  es- 
pecially if  Titus  will  keep  the  sheep." 

"You  are  right,  Caius.  What  you  say  is  only  too 
true,"  said  Simmias,  sadly.  "I  am  anxious  that  you 
go,  though  I  grieve  more  than  I  can  tell  to  give  you  up. 
When  I  think  of  all  that  your  father's  family  has 
suffered,  and  I  and  mine  with  it,  I  am  only  too  glad  for 
such  a  chance  to  come  to  you.  So  you  had  best  run 
over  .at  once,  and  see  if  Titus  can  stay  with  us.  If  you 
are  to  leave  us  to-morrow,  there  is  much  to  do  to  get 
you  ready." 

Then  Caius  hurried  away,  down  the  path  by  the  old 
beech,  past  the  little  lake,  across  the  highway,  and 
beyond  to  the  house  on  a  small,  stony  hillside  farm, 
where  Titus  lived  with  his  father.  A  fresh  wolf's 
head  grinned  at  him  from  the  big  cypress  tree  before 
the  house. 


THE  SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE  PROCONSUL     35 

"Hello,  Titus/'  shouted  Caius  coming  up.  "Where 
did  you  get  the  wolf's  muzzle  ? " 

"Father  killed  one  yesterday,"  said  Titus.  "The 
head  will  keep  away  the  witches." 

"Well,  at  any  rate,  I  have  good  news,"  said  Caius. 
"Sure  enough,  the  birds  were  for  a  good  omen.  A  bad 
one  for  me,  though,  I  thought  at  first;  but  it  turned 
out  to  be  a  good  one  for  me,  and  you,  too,  I  hope." 

Titus  continued  stolidly  yoking  his  oxen  to  go  to  his 
plow.  "What  has  happened  now?"  he  asked  care- 
lessly. 

Then  as  Caius  told  him  about  the  robbers,  Titus 
grew  visibly  interested.  Finally  his  jaw  fell  lower, 
and  he  stopped  his  work,  stood  and  listened  hungrily, 
and  a  great  frown  ridged  his  forehead.  Meanwhile 
he  was  knotting  his  big  fist  and  drawing  himself  into  a 
wad.  "Why  didn't  you  call  me  ?  I  wish  I  had  been 
there,"  he  muttered.  "What  a  chance  for  practice  to 
become  a  gladiator !" 

"A  gladiator  I  see  you  are  bound  to  be,  sooner  or 
later,"  said  Caius.  "But  I  had  no  time  to  call  you. 
Besides,  Lucan  and  I  kept  them  busy  enough,  I  think.  I 
have  come  now  to  beg  you  to  be  something  other  than 
a  gladiator  for  the  present."  And  Caius  proceeded  to 
tell  the  other  of  the  meeting  with  Caesar  and  its  result. 

"  Fortune  is  certainly  good  to  you,  as  I  said  yesterday. 
Why  could  not  I  have  had  this  chance  to  be  a  soldier  ?" 
grumbled  Titus.  "Well,  so  you  want  me  to  stay  here 
at  home  and  keep  your  sheep  while  you  go  abroad 
with  the  great  Caesar  to  be  a  soldier  in  Gaul  ?  I  won't 
do  it.  I  will  go  to  Gaul  myself,"  he  affirmed  stub- 
bornly. 

STANDARD    BEARER 3 


36  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"But,  Titus,  it  was  not  you  that  Caesar  asked  to  go. 
Besides,  I  think  you  forget  that  this  is  just  the  very 
chance  for  you  to  learn  from  Simmias  what  we  were 
talking  about  yesterday,"  argued  Caius. 

"  Yes,  but  this  is  not  like  being  in  a  legion  and  fighting 
in  real  war,"  returned  Titus.  "  But  perhaps  my  chance 
will  come  some  time,"  he  went  on.  "So  I  will  try  to 
keep  your  sheep  if  father  will  let  me.  Come  on,  we 
will  ask  him." 

As  old  Pullo  had  a  large  family  to  feed  and  clothe, 
and  no  very  great  income  from  the  rocky  little  fields, 
he  decided  he  could  spare  Titus  for  the  money  Caius 
promised ;  and  therefore  it  was  soon  arranged. 

Titus  went  home  with  Caius,  and  with  his  aid  and 
instruction  was  soon  prepared  to  take  charge  of  the 
flock.  Old  Lucan,  as  well  as  the  sheep,  seemed  dis- 
trustful and  displeased.  The  faithful  dog  appeared  in 
doubt  whether  he  should  throttle  the  new  shepherd  or 
obey  his  strong-voiced  orders.  But  he  finally  showed 
by  his  actions  that  he  understood,  and  so  went  ofF  to 
the  hills  with  Titus  and  the  bleating  sheep. 

Nearly  all  day,  Caius's  mother,  with  Simmias  and 
good  motherlike  Chloe  —  who  took  it  all  quite  as  hard 
as  Camilla  —  were  busy  making  him  ready  for  his 
departure.  It  was  hard  for  Caius  to  do  much  except 
watch  the  road  to  which  his  eyes  constantly  turned, 
though  he  knew  that  Caesar  had  said  it  would  be  nearly 
night  when  Pedius  would  pass.  But  the  preparations 
were  finally  completed,  and  at  last,  about  sundown, 
he  saw  a  body  of  horsemen  and  chariots  flash  by  with  a 
clatter  and  rumble,  and  on  toward  Spoletum,  a  half 
mile  beyond.  By  their  standards  and  armor,  Caius 


THE  SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE  PROCONSUL     37 

knew  these  were  the  men  with  whom  he  was  to  travel 
to  Gaul,  and  that  they  would  stop  for  the  night  at 
Spoletum,  as  Caesar  had  so  appointed. 

Despite  his  loss  of  sleep  the  preceding  night,  Caius 
could  hardly  close  his  eyes,  so  excited  and  eager  was  he. 
An  hour  before  day,  he  was  up,  dressed  in  his  best,  which 
was  only  a  clean  shepherd's  cloak.  Then,  after  a  fare- 
well to  his  mother,  Simmias,  Chloe,  Titus,  and  even  old 
Lucan,  he  set  forth  briskly  in  the  dim  light  and  fresh 
air  of  the  early  dawn. 

By  rapid  walking,  Caius  reached  Spoletum  just  as  it 
was  light  enough  to  begin  to  see  well.  He  went  directly 
to  the  inn  where  he  thought  it  most  likely  the  lieutenant, 
Pedius,  had  spent  the  night.  Before  the  door  in  the 
yard,  he  found  several  horses  and  chariots  being  made 
ready  for  travel.  A  number  of  young  men  in  bright 
armor  and  plumed  helmets  stood  and  stamped  about, 
seeming  fretted  at  the  delay.  The  one  nearest  Caius  as 
he  came  up  —  a  young  man  of  medium  size,  with  heavy 
body,  thin  legs,  a  back-slanting  forehead,  dark  face, 
and  sneering  eyes  —  stood  carelessly  leaning  against  a 
horse  richly  trapped.  Caius  asked  this  youth  where 
the  lieutenant,  Quintus  Pedius,  might  be. 

"The  lieutenant,  Quintus  Pedius,'*  mocked  the  young 
Roman.  "And  what  has  a  rude  shepherd  from  the 
hills  to  do  with  the  lieutenant,  Quintus  Pedius,  I  should 
like  to  know." 

"I  have  business  with  him  and  must  see  him," 
replied  Caius,  hotly,  for  he  was  stung  by  the  insulting 
manner  of  the  other. 

"Ah,  rather  warm  for  one  of  so  gentle  a  calling," 
calmly  smirked  the  Roman.  "Perhaps  you  come  as 


3°  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

ambassador  of  the  sheep  to  report  to  Pedius  that  those 
worthy  folk  have  been  furiously  attacked  with  hoof 
and  horn  by  a  band  of  bellicose  goats,  and  to  ask  aid." 
A  wink  and  a  smile  from  some  of  the  others  greeted 
this  far-fetched  sally,  and  Caius  was  betrayed  into  a 
fury  by  a  cool  insolence,  such  as  he  had  never  met  with 


before,  and  so  he  quickly  returned,  "I  am  to  be  a 
soldier,  and  you  shall  not  mock  me." 

"Ah  !  Perhaps  you  mean  to  conquer  the  goats.  I 
see  your  helmet  shows  signs  of  fierce  battle,  already," 
drawled  the  other,  glancing  meaningly  at  Caius's  hat, 
which  was  old  and  worn. 

Caius  firmly  grasped  the  heavy  staff  with  which  he 
had  set  off  from  home,  and  was  on  the  point  of  charging 


THE  SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE  PROCONSUL     39 

upon  the  young  man  who  had  so  causelessly  insulted 
him,  when  one  of  the  others  spoke.  "Don't  tease  the 
youth,  Lanius ;  enough  has  been  said."  Then  he 
added  to  Caius,  "Good  youth,  present  yourself  to 
the  guard  at  the  door  there.  If  you  can  show  sufficient 
cause,  he  will  admit  you  to  Pedius." 

Caius  at  once  followed  these  directions,  and  was 
soon  admitted  to  the  presence  of  Pedius,  a  stout,  middle- 
aged  man,  of  no  extraordinary  appearance,  dressed 
in  a  short-sleeved,  red-bordered  sort  of  shirt,  belted 
about  his  waist  and  reaching  nearly  to  his  knees  - 
the  usual  dress  of  a  Roman  legatus,  or  lieutenant.  He 
was  alone  at  his  breakfast,  and  received  Caius  while 
busy  at  this  meal.  He  read  Caesar's  note  and  looked  at 
Caius  with  some  interest. 

"You  are  in  luck,  young  man,"  he  said.  "Whom 
Caesar  favors,  Fortuna  smiles  upon.  I  am  commanded 
to  take  special  care  of  you.  Well,  you  shall  ride  in 
one  of  the  chariots,  and  when  we  reach  Ravenna  we 
will  provide  a  more  suitable  dress  for  you.  We  set 
forward  at  once.  Be  ready."  And  he  dismissed  Caius, 
after  giving  an  order  to  the  legionary  soldier  at  hand 
to  direct  the  youth  to  the  vehicle  in  which  he  was  to 
travel. 

It  was  now  bright  daylight.  A  trumpet  sounded, 
arms  and  armor  clinked  and  clanged  with  the  sound 
of  men  taking  their  places  in  saddle  and  chariot,  and  the 
troop  set  forward  out  of  the  little  town  toward  Ravenna. 
As  the  party  rattled  along,  people  gathered  in  the  door- 
ways and  streets  to  see  them.  At  a  small  house  near 
the  outskirts  of  the  place,  Caius  thought  he  recognized 
old  Eredox  leaning  against  the  doorpost,  his  neck 


4-O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

thickly  wound  with  a  dirty  cloth.  He  quickly  dodged 
within  as  Caius  passed.  But  as  Caius  looked  back,  he 
saw  the  youth  Lanius  wave  a  hand  toward  the  house, 
a  motion  that  seemed  to  be  one  of  recognition.  For  a 
moment  he  wondered  at  this. 

But  as  they  traveled  onward  his  mind  was  quickly 
removed  from  this  subject  by  the  talk  of  one  of  the  men 
with  whom  he  rode.     This  was  Sannio,  a  jovial,  good-, 
natured  soldier  of  middle  age  who   found    something 
at  which  to  laugh  in  everything  that  happened. 

"The  men  in  the  chariots,"  he  told  Caius,  "are 
mostly  soldiers  and  lower  officers.  Those  on  horse  in 
brass  armor  are  hardly  soldiers  at  all.  They  think 
they  are  going  on  a  holiday  —  sort  of  fair-weather 
friends  of  Caesar's,  who  are  following  him  to  Gaul, 
expecting  to  have  a  good  time  and  collect  a  lot  of 
valuable  plunder.  But  they  won't  think  so  long,  under 
Caesar.  If  they  were  real  soldiers,  they  would  have 
good  steel  armor  instead  of  this  brass  floppery.  But 
they  want  something  bright  and  costly.  True  Roman 
fighters  have  not  been  accustomed  to  wear  brass  for 
these  hundred  years.  These  gay  young  gentlemen 
will  soon  learn  better,  too,  if  they  can  be  coaxed  or 
driven  into  a  battle.  Some  of  them  think  they  are 
knights.  No  older  than  I  am,  I  knew  some  of  them 
when  their  fathers  were  butchers,  wine  merchants, 
mule  drivers,  and  the  like.  The  occupations,  mind 
you,  young  man,  are  all  right,  but  they  don't  change 
dandies  into  patrician  knights  by  any  means.  For  as 
the  proverb  goes,  one  born  in  a  garret  does  not  fit  a 
palace.  Now,  I  was  born  in  the  country.  My  father 
was  a  freedman  farmer.  But  he  was  plain  and  honest. 


THE  SHEPHERD  FOLLOWS  THE  PROCONSUL     4! 

He  brought  me  up  in  the  same  way.  I  believe  in  the 
gods  and  worship  them  all,  whether  they  dwell  in 
the  wood,  field,  sea,  or  sky.  I  know  there  is  no  profit 
or  fitness  «in  making  as  though  you  are  what  you  are 
not.  If  I  should  try,  as  some  of  these  upstarts,  I'd 
look  as  foolish  as  a  mule  on  a  housetop."  And  he 
laughed,  well  pleased  with  his  wisdom. 

And  so  they  traveled,  over  the  Apennines,  down  into 
the  plains  of  Umbria,  and  on  to  Ravenna. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  SHEPHERD  MAKES  ACQUAINTANCES 

ABOUT  sunset  of  the  second  day  after  leaving  Spole- 
tum,  the  detachment  of  Pedius  went  clattering  into 
Ravenna,  a  small  seaport  on  the  Adriatic.  The  road 
led  near  the  seashore  and  was  thronged  with  shouting 
sailors,  hawking  peddlers,  silent  merchants,  sturdy 
soldiers,  and  gazing  travelers,  jostling  and  pushing 
among  each  other. 

As  the  Roman  party  appeared,  all  made  way  for  it, 
and  it  dashed  onward  through  the  crowd.  Upon  look- 
ing down  the  streets  to  the  right,  Caius  saw  that  they 
seemed  full  of  water.  "How  is  this?"  he  exclaimed 
to  Sannio.  "Has  a  flood  filled  the  streets  ?" 

"No,"  laughed  Sannio.  "Ravenna  is  built  partly 
in  the  water.  If  you  wish  to  travel  one  of  these  streets^ 
you  go  in  a  boat  instead  of  walking  or  taking  a  chariot." 

Caius,  Sannio,  and  two  or  three  others  were  sent,  by 
the  order  of  Pedius,  to  lodge  for  the  night  at  a  small  inn 
on  the  northern  side  of  the  town.  After  their  fat,  dark- 
faced  host  had  assigned  them  their  quarters,  Sannio 
said  to  Caius,  "My  young  friend,  Pedius  has  com- 
manded that  I  go  with  you  to  a  merchant  and  buy 
suitable  clothing  for  a  soldier.  Let  us  forth  and  do 
this  before  we  eat." 

"Well  enough,"  replied  Caius.  "But  I  shall  claim 
the  right  to  pay  for  them." 

"I  have  orders  to  buy  them  at  Caesar's  expense," 

42 


THE    SHEPHERD  MAKES  ACQUAINTANCES  43 

said  Sannio.     "So  there's  an  end  to  all  discussion  of  the 


matter." 


"Well,  I  shall  keep  an  account  of  the  cost  against  a 
day  of  settlement,"  said  Caius.  "I  have  little  money, 
but  neither  Caesar  nor  any  other  man  shall  pay  for  the 
clothes  I  wear." 

"Keep  all  the  accounts  you  may,  young  Proudheart," 
said  Sannio.  "I  fancy  you  will  have  opportunity  to 
pay  for  all  you  wish,  if  you  are  to  be  a  soldier.  Most 
of  them  end  every  year  with  exactly  as  much  money 
as  they  have  when  they  begin  it  —  which  is  none." 

They  had  now  reached  the  end  of  an  earthen  street 
leading  toward  the  sea.  They  entered  a  small  boat, 
poled  by  a  stout  boatman,  and  after  proceeding  for 
some  distance,  stopped  at  last  at  one  of  the  shops  near 
the  seaward  end  of  the  street.  Here  with  the  aid  of 
Sannio,  Caius  selected  three  tunics  of  light  woolen  stuff 
and  a  like  number  of  togas  of  similar  material,  white 
with  scarlet  borders.  Shoes  and  headdress  to  match 
were  bought,  all  paid  for,  and  the  two  set  out  on  their 
return  to  the  inn. 

Just  as  they  reached  the  landing,  they  saw  Lanius 
and  a  number  of  the  other  young  Romans  to  whom 
Sannio  had  referred  as  upstarts,  in  the  crowd.  As 
Caius  had  had  no  occasion  to  come  in  contact  with 
Lanius  since  their  meeting  at  Spoletum,  he  had  con- 
sequently not  been  again  insulted.  But  now,  Lanius, 
with  his  air  of  haughty  insolence,  called  out  so  his 
companions  could  hear,  "See,  here  is  our  shepherd  who 
wanted  to  be  a  soldier.  I  wager  that  we  shall  see  him 
in  fine  feathers  to-morrow." 

"Heed  him  not,"  whispered  Sannio  in  Caius's  ear. 


44 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


"A  brawl  with  him  and  his  companions  can  be  of  no 
help  to  you.  Let  us  pass  this  way  to  the  right  and  on 
to  the  tavern."  And  so  they  stepped  out  of  the  boat 


s 

"%      •;-• 

and  were  )ust  turning  away,  when  Lanius  thrust  him- 
self before  them. 

"So  our  young  soldier  will  not  speak  to  me.     You 
have  grown  a  great  pride  in  a  short  time.     Because  of 


THE    SHEPHERD    MAKES    ACQUAINTANCES  45 

weightier  matters,  have  you  forgotten  your  sheep  and 

i " 
goats  r 

"No;"  replied  Caius,  "and  with  apologies  to  all 
other  goats,  it  seems  I  am  not  to  be  allowed  to  forget  a 
certain  goat." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  shouted  Lanius,  now 
enraged.  "I  will  teach  you."  And  he  struck  at  the 
face  of  Caius  with  his  hand,  but  Caius  evaded  the  blow, 
and  profiting  by  what  instruction  he  had  received  from 
old  Simmias  and  his  practice  with  Titus,  he  quickly 
tripped  Lanius,  who  stumbled  forward  headlong, 
trying  to  keep  his  footing,  and  thus  carried  himself 
face  first  into  the  muddy  water.  A  burst  of  laughter 
and  applause  arose  on  all  sides.  But  Caius  was  already 
dragging  Lanius  from  the  water,  who  had  risen  after 
having  at  once  sunk  like  a  stone.  The  latter  had  no 
sooner  regained  his  feet  than,  dripping,  bubbling,  and 
sputtering,  he  drew  sword,  and  was  rushing  at  Cams, 
when  a  large  man  who  had  been  standing  near, 
grasped  the  sword  arm  of  the  enraged  Roman,  and 
stopped  him  short.  "Hold!"  he  said  quietly.  :<You 
had  best  think  a  moment.  The  other  has  just  dragged 
you  from  the  water,  and  now  would  you  stab  him?" 
"  Yes,  the  plebeian  upstart  that  he  is  !"  shouted  Lanius. 

"Let  me  loose,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you." 

"Not  yet,"  said  the  stranger,  coolly.  "Don't  be  in 
such  haste.  He  might  give  you  another  souse  in  the 

water." 

"Sextius  Baculus,  by  Hercules  !"  now  cried  Sanmo, 
who  had  quickly  stepped  between  Caius  and  Lanius ; 
and  addressing  the  big  man  who  still  held  the  wrist  of 
Lanius,  he  asked,  "Where  did  you  come  from  ?" 


46  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

But  there  was  no  time  for  answers  now;  for  in  the 
crowd  which  was  pressing  about,  the  form  of  the 
lieutenant,  Quintus  Pedius,  appeared,  accompanied  by 
three  or  four  legionary  soldiers. 

"What  is  the  trouble  here,  Sannio  ?"  he  asked  calmly. 

"This  boorish  upstart  has  insulted  me,"  threw  in 
Lanius,  not  waiting  to  be  questioned. 

"I  think  he  did,"  laughed  a  bystander.  "He  gave 
you  a  ducking  in  the  Adriatic." 

"Speak  when  called  upon,  Lanius,"  commanded 
Pedius.  "Sannio,  give  me  an  account  of  this  matter." 

This  Sannio  briefly  did.  "And  I  as  an  old  comrade 
of  Sannio  and  a  soldier  under  Julius  Caesar,  know  that 
Sannio  has  spoken  the  truth  about  the  matter,"  added 
the  man  who  had  been  called  Baculus. 

"Now  what  have  you  to  say  for  yourself?"  asked 
Pedius,  turning  to  Lanius. 

When  the  latter  could  not  bring  forward  a  single 
statement  to  his  advantage,  Pedius  said,  "Lanius, 
since  we  left  Rome,  I  have  warned  you  more  than  once 
that  you  would  get  into  trouble.  Here  I  have  orders 
from  Caesar  to  take  especial  care  of  this  youth.  You 
would  have  small  favor  from  Caesar  should  word  of 
this  affair  come  to  his  ears.  If  I  hear  of  any  more  of 
it,  I  shall  report  it  to  him,  and  then  your  hope  of 
military  service  in  Gaul  will  vanish.  Sannio,  return 
with  the  youth  to  your  quarters." 

Then  as  Caius  and  Sannio  pushed  their  way  through 
the  crowd,  accompanied  by  Baculus,  Caius  found  him- 
self wondering  why  Caesar  had  bought  clothes  for  him 
and  why  he  had  given  especial  orders  concerning  him. 
But  his  mind  was  not  permitted  to  dwell  long  on  these 


THE    SHEPHERD    MAKES    ACQUAINTANCES  47 

questions,  for  his  attention  was  strongly  drawn  to 
Baculus,  whom  he  now  observed  closely.  Meanwhile, 
the  latter  and  Sannio,  as  old  comrades  in  arms  are 
wont  to  do,  asked  and  answered  questions  as  to  where 
they  had  been,  what  they  were  doing  and  were  going 
to  do. 

Baculus  was  tall,  thick-set,  well-formed,  and  straight 
as  a  staff.  He  was  fair,  and  had  steely  blue  eyes  set 
in  a  hard  but  honest  face.  His  straight  carriage,  steady 
tread,  and  scarred  face  and  hands  showed  him  to  be  a 
real  soldier  —  one  who  had  been  in  the  thick  of  battle, 
where  he  had  taken  as  well  as  given  cuts  and  thrusts. 

"And  who  is  this  stout  youth  whom  Caesar  wishes 
well  cared  for,  Sannio,  and  yet  leaves  to  so  funny  and 
reckless  a  fellow  as  you  are?"  asked  Baculus  as  they 
reached  the  tavern. 

"Why  should  I  not  care  for  him  as  well  as  any  big 
fellow  who  looks  more  fierce  and  feels  more  gentle  than 
I  do?"  retorted  Sannio.  "But  as  you  seem  anxious 
to  know,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  there  can  be  no  harm  in 
telling  you.  He  is  Caius  Volcatius  Tullus.  He  goes 
with  Pedius  to  Gaul  at  Caesar's  request." 

"I  am  right  glad  to  know  you,  Caius,"  said  Baculus. 
"You  gave  the  boaster  a  good  ducking,  and  I  hope  it 
will  help  his  manners.  You  are  very  fortunate,  too, 
if  you  have  come  into  Caesar's  favor.  He  is  a  great 
man  and  going  to  be  greater." 

"I  am  glad  to  know  you,  Baculus,  for  you  look  a 
good  soldier,  and  that  is  what  I  mean  to  be,"  said 
Caius,  simply. 

"Well,  here  we  are  at  our  inn,  and  I  am  hungry," 
said  Sannio.  "My  jaws  have  had  a  long  vacation 


48  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

and  my  teeth  are  dull  for  lack  of  use.  Come,  let's 
eat."  And  then  they  pushed  their  way  among  the 
soldiers  and  merchants  that  thronged  the  inn  and  sat 
on  low  stools  about  a  three-legged  table,  and  ate 
heartily  of  the  bread,  meat,  and  cheap  wine  which  the 
host  placed  before  them. 

"But  let  me  tell  you,  Caius,"  went  on  Baculus  as  he 
drained  his  horn  cup,  "you  are  likely  to  march  long  and 
late,  wake  soon,  and  fight  hard,  if  you  serve  under 
Julius  Caesar.  You  remember,  Sannio,  year  before 
last,  don't  you,  in  Spain,  when  a  tribe  of  those  Iberians 
were  making  trouble  and  had  collected  a  band  fifty 
thousand  strong  ?  Well,  when  Caesar  was  informed, 
he  at  once  called  his  soldiers  together  and  made  a 
speech  to  them.  And  such  a  speech  !  It  wasn't  long 
and  it  wasn't  loud,  but  when  he  finished,  the  soldiers' 
shouts  rolled  along  the  hills  and  valleys  till  you'd  have 
thought  there  were  ten  men  instead  of  one  of  us. 
And  every  man  of  them  was  ready  to  march  on  a  solid 
line  of  Spanish  spears  for  Caesar.  Then  on  his  big 
horse,  long-footed  and  glossy-coated,  he  rode  up  and 
down  the  lines,  looking  over  his  men,  only  six  thousand 
in  all.  *  Baculus,'  he  said  to  me,  —  he  knew  every 
soldier  by  name,  Caesar  did,  -  -  'we  can  rout  them,  can't 
we  ?'  'Yes,'  I  shouted,  'with  you  to  lead  us." 

"Sure,  I  remember,"  broke  in  Sannio.  "He  knew 
me,  too,  and  asked  me  if  I  didn't  think  it  would  be  fun 
to  see  them  run.  I  remember,  too,  that  he  reminded  us 
of  the  glorious  deeds  of  Paris  at  the  siege  of  Alba  Longa 
and  the  bravery  of  Hannibal  at  the  taking  of  Troy." 

"Yes,  and  Caesar  led  us,  too,"  said  Baculus,  failing 
to  notice  Sannio's  mixing  of  history.  "We  marched 


THE    SHEPHERD. MAKES    ACQUAINTANCES  49 

after  him  all  that  night.  We  came  to  the  barbarians' 
camp  a  full  hour  before  day.  They  were  all  asleep, 
thinking  Caesar  was  twenty-five  miles  away.  We  fell 
on  them  so  suddenly  and  fiercely  that  they  hadn't 
time  to  get  their  poor  weapons.  They  fled  in  all 
directions.  We  cut  and  slashed  and  hacked  among 
them,  right  and  left,  till  day  came  and  no  more  could 
be  found,  except  such  likely  youths  and  maidens  as  we 
had  taken  prisoners  to  sell  as  slaves." 

"But  the  plunder  he  gave  us!"  exclaimed  Sannio, 
smacking  his  lips  over  a  morsel  of  meat.  "Why,  I 
got  enough  gold  and  silver  ornaments  to  buy  my  old 
mother  a  little  farm  close  by  the  Tiber,  where  the  finest 
nuts,  grapes,  and  olives  grow." 

"And  I  got  enough  to  keep  myself  living  in  plenty 
from  that  day  to  this,"  laughed  Baculus,  "and  besides, 
three  handsome  boys  that  I  sold  at  Rome.  Yes, 
Caesar's  men  must  march  and  fight,  but  he  knows  them 
and  honors  them  and  gives  them  plunder.  And  they 
never  fail  him." 

"I  am  told  that  Caesar  himself  had  some  plunder  in 
Spain,"  said  an  old  man  who  had  been  sitting  at  a 
nearby  table,  sipping  his  wine  and  listening.  The 
others  now  turned  and  saw  a  small,  droop-shouldered, 
man,  with  a  leathery,  wrinkled  face,  and,  under  heavy 
lashes,  a  pair  of  glittering  black  eyes  that  seemed  to 
be  always  searching  for  something  they  never  found. 

"You  are  told  wrongly,"  said  Baculus,  with  warmth. 
"Caesar  only  collected  taxes,  as  is  allowed  to  Roman 
governors  in  the  provinces.  If  the  tax  was  rich,  so 
much  the  better  for  Caesar.  And  if  he  gave  over  a  few 
thousand  rebellious  savages  to  be  plundered  by  his 


50  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

good  soldiers  who  restored  the  peace  of  the  province, 
who  is  to  say  that  Caesar  himself  plundered  ?" 

"Come,  come,"  said  the  old  man.  "I  meant  no 
harm." 

"  If  Caesar  collected  great  tax,  he  paid  a  worthy  debt, 
one  made  by  himself  for  the  Roman  people,"  said 
Sannio.  :'The  games  he  provided  while  aedile  of  the 
City  have  never  been  surpassed." 

"There  you  are  right,"  exclaimed  Baculus.  "I  have 
seen  games  for  a  whole  week  and  enough  gladiators  to 
furnish  over  three  hundred  separate  fights.  As  many 
gladiators,  bears,  lions,  and  the  like  were  slain  as  would 
last  the  vultures  on  the  Esquiline  Hill  for  a  month. 
And  the  people  —  why,  they  worshiped  him.  He  could 
hardly  appear  on  the  streets  without  a  crowd  trooping 
at  his  heels  eager  to  do  his  slightest  wish." 

"I  see  you  think  Caesar  a  very  great  man,  but  I 
believe  he  will  not  take  much  money  away  from  Gaul," 
said  the  old  man. 

"No  one  believes  the  hare-brained,  hot-headed, 
fighting,  quarreling  Gauls  have  much  money,"  said 
Sannio.  "They  are  too  busy  making  trouble  to  make 
much  money  or  other  wealth.  Brave  as  mad  bulls, 
but  poor  as  the  priests  of  a  new  god." 

Baculus  laughed  and  Caius  smiled. 

"In  that  you  are  mistaken,  my  friend,"  returned 
the  old  man.  "I  am  Marcus  Pomponius  Matho. 
My  father's  grandfather  was  a  merchant  and  trader 
before  me.  He  was  made  a  praetor  when  the  Romans 
warred  with  Hannibal.  He  was  once  sent  by  the  state 
with  a  golden  crown  of  two  hundredweight  to  consult 
the  oracle  of  Delphi.  I  have  his  name  and  I  am  proud 


THE    SHEPHERD   MAKES    ACQUAINTANCES  5! 

of  it.  I  also  am  a  merchant,  and  have  traveled  in  all 
parts  of  Gaul,  so  I  ought  to  know  what  I  speak  of. 
The  Gauls  have  many  walled  cities,  rich  and  prosperous. 
Why,  Bibracte,  the  capital  of  the  Haeduans,  would  be  a 
surprise  to  any  one  who  thinks  them  unskilled  bar- 
barians. The  Gauls  are  good  farmers  and  fertilize 
their  soil  with  marl.  They  raise  the  best  horses,  the 
largest  cows,  the  finest  oxen,  and  hogs  without  number. 
They  make  the  best  cheese,  and  every  year  thousands 
of  cartloads  of  dried  bacon  are  sent  out  of  Gaul.  They 
weave  strong  cloth  and  dye  it  in  beautiful  colors. 
They  dig  gold,  iron,  and  copper  from  the  mines,  and 
have  more  skill  in  tempering  brass  than  any  other  peo- 
ple in  the  world.  They  mint  money  after  the  Greek 
style  and  carry  on  some  commerce  though  not  very 
much,  since  they  have  about  all  they  need  at  home, 
and  do  not  want  to  learn  the  bad  customs  of  other 
nations.  But  let  me  tell  you,"  the  old  man  went  on, 
"the  Gauls  mean  to  keep  what  they  have.  If  Caesar 
should  trouble  them,  good  general  though  he  be,  he  will 
find  a  task  not  like  that  among  the  Spaniards.  Caesar 
would  do  well  to  pray  the  gods  not  to  put  it  into  the 
heads  of  the  Gauls  to  attack  Rome  again.  The  Gauls 
are  fighters.  Their  religion  teaches  them  that  they 
will  live  again  in  a  happier  world,  and  so  they  do  not 
fear  to  die.  Why,  don't  you  know  that  they  swarmed 
into  Italy  and  burned  Rome  itself  over  three  hundred 
years  ago  ?  Don't  you  know  they  have  broken  over 
the  Alps  time  and  again  and  have  kept  the  Roman 
people  under  dread  of  them  most  of  the  time  since  ? 
Don't  you  remember  that  the  Gauls  were  among  the 
most  stanch  of  Hannibal's  allies?  My  father's 

STANDARD    BEARER 4 


52  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

grandfather  told  him  so,  and  he  told  me.  Don't  you 
know  that  a  great  weight  of  gold  is  yet  kept  in  the 
treasury  at  Rome  to  buy  them  off  should  they  ever 
appear  before  the  walls  again  ?"  The  old  man  stopped 
and  looked  over  the  group  that  had  gathered  about 
him  with  the  air  of  one  who  had  convinced  all  hearers. 
He  was  a  Roman  himself,  but  knowing  something  of 
the  history  of  the  Gauls,  and  having  been  much  among 
them,  he  was  not  sure  that  they  would  be  so  easily 
subdued  by  Roman  arms. 

Caius  began  to  think  that  perhaps  he  was  going  into 
a  very  unsafe  country  —  one  where  a  soldier's  fame 
might  not  be  so  easily  and  quickly  won  as  he  had  fancied. 

"But  Rome  has  grown  great  in  three  hundred  years," 
urged  Baculus,  with  energy,  "and  besides,  the  Gauls 
have  never  met  Julius  Caesar  in  battle." 

"I  think  they  may  not  wish  to  meet  him  after  the 
first  time,  either,"  laughed  Sannio. 

"Why  should  it  be  thought  certain  that  there  is 
going  to  be  war  with  the  Gauls  because  Caesar  is  pro- 
consul to  Cisalpine  Gaul  ?"  asked  Caius.  "Is  not  that 
province  entirely  separate  from  Gaul  beyond  the  Alps  ?" 

"To  be  sure  it  is,"  replied  the  old  merchant,  quickly. 
"But  Rome  and  Roman  governors  always  find  excuse 
to  meddle  in  the  affairs  of  the  peoples  adjoining  Roman 
provinces,  and  conquer  them  sooner  or  later.  From 
all  you  say  of  Julius  Caesar,  I  have  no  doubt  that  there 
will  soon  be  war  with  the  Gauls.  It  is  reported  that 
even  now  the  Helvetians,  a  Gallic  tribe,  are  planning  a 
move  that  will  bring  a  clash  with  Rome." 

uThe  sooner  it  comes,  the  better  it  will  suit  me  and 
all  the  other  soldiers  of  Caesar,"  said  Sannio.  "I 


THE    SHEPHERD    MAKES    ACQUAINTANCES  53 

hope  it  will  come  on  and  not  take  a  backward  turn 
like  a  calf's  tail." 

uYes,  and  I'll  soon  be  found  under  Caesar's  eagles 
again,  I  think,"  said  Baculus.  "I  am  tired  of  this 
easy  quiet  way  of  life.  The  bolder  and  fiercer  the 
Gauls,  the  freer  the  fight  and  the  richer  the  plunder." 

Caius,  remembering  all  the  evil  he  had  heard  of  the 
Gauls,  and  knowing  all  his  family  had  suffered  from 
them,  could  only  hope  there  would  be  a  war,  and  that  a 
very  destructive  one  to  the  Gauls.  He  was  eager  and 
ready  to  do  his  part  in  converting  all  Gaul  into  a  single 
Roman  province.  He  had  realized  his  hatred  of  the 
Gauls,  and  his  desire  for  revenge  formed  his  leading 
motive  in  life  just  now. 

Baculus,  watching  the  face  of  Caius,  seemed  to  under- 
stand what  was  passing  in  his  mind.  "It  will  soon 
come,  friend  Caius,"  he  said.  "You  will  be  a  soldier, 
and  I  hope  you  and  I  may  see  fighting  under  the  same 
eagle.  Perhaps  Caesar  will  enroll  new  legions  and  put 
us  both  in  the  same  one." 

"I  could  wish  nothing  better,"  returned  Caius,  for 
he  had  come  to  admire  the  kindly  strength  and  whole- 
some heartiness  of  big  old  Baculus. 

"Well,  it  is  late,  Caius,  and  we  must  stir  early," 
said  Sannio.  "Let  us  to  sleep." 

"Then,  farewell,  Sannio,  and  my  young  friend, 
Caius,"  said  Baculus.  "If  Caesar  makes  war  in  Gaul 
and  raises  new  legions,  you  will  see  old  Baculus  again 
before  long."  And  he  strode  away,  snapping  his  big 
fingers  and  whistling  a  merry  tune. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE   SHEPHERD   BECOMES  A  LEGIONARY 

THE  fertile  plains  of  the  Po  passed,  the  party  of 
Pedius,  moving  northward,  began  to  ascend  a  higher 
region,  and  to  wind  over  gentle  slopes  and  through 
little  valleys  —  all  covered  with  grass,  dotted  with 
flocks,  and  comfortable  with  the  humble  homes  of 
farmers  and  shepherds.  Then,  far  away,  over  the 
green  grasslands,  beyond  the  smaller  hills,  beyond  the 
larger  hills  thick  grown  with  trees,  Caius  felt  himself 
awed  at  the  sight  of  the  snowcapped  Alps,  rising  up- 
ward, upward,  and  losing  their  whitened  peaks  in  the 
misty  grayness  of  the  upper  sky. 

Although  it  was  spring,  the  passage  over  the  snows 
of  the  Alps  was  cold,  but  without  mishap,  and  about 
dark  of  the  sixth  day  after  leaving  Ravenna,  the  party 
arrived  at  Geneva,  where  Caesar  himself  was  posted. 
This  was  a  considerable  town  of  the  Allobrogians,  at 
the  southern  end  of  Lake  Geneva. 

Just  on  the  outskirts  of  the  place,  Caesar  was  en- 
camped with  a  single  legion,  the  one  called  the  Tenth. 
Pedius  led  his  party  directly  to  this  camp,  and  at  once 
reported  to  Caesar  in  his  tent. 

In  a  short  time  a  messenger  came  to  Caius  where  he 
was  waiting,  and  said,  "The  Proconsul  Caesar  desires 
Caius  Volcatius  Tullus  to  come  to  his  tent  without 
delay." 

The  youth  obeyed  and  went  to  a  large  leathern  tent, 

54 


THE    SHEPHERD    BECOMES    A   LEGIONARY  55 

from  the  top  of  which  floated  a  white  flag,  the  mark  of 
the  general's  quarters.  When  he  had  entered  he  ob- 
served that  the  floor  was  covered  with  beautiful  tiles ; 
for  in  Cesar's  baggage  always  went  these  tiles  for 
flooring  his  tent. 

"Well,  Caius,  I  see  that  your  mother  was  willing  tor 
you  to  come  with  me  to  Gaul,"  quietly  said  Caesar, 
upon  the  entrance  of  Caius. 

"Sir,  she  was  glad  for  me  to  come  with  the  noble 
Julius.  I  think  I  now  know  why  I  was  honored  with 
the  invitation  to  come,  and  I  am  sure  I  know  why  my 
mother  gladly  consented,"  said  Caius. 

"I  asked  you  to  come,  Caius,  chiefly  because  I 
thought  I  saw  in  you  a  good  soldier  and  a  true  man," 
returned  Oesar,  rather  firmly.  "There  might  be  other 
reasons,  too,  but  let  us  get  to  business  and  not  say  too 
much  about  that  at  present.  Now  that  you  are  here, 
would  you  choose  to  do  real  service  as  a  soldier,  with  a 
prospect  of  promotion  if  worthy,  or  do  you  prefer  to  be 
one  of  the  hangers-on  about  the  camp,  depending  upon 
the  favors  of  Fortune  to  raise  you  to  place  and  wealth  ? 

"With  your  leave,  sir,  I  should  choose  to  serve  in  the 
ranks  till  I  can  learn  to  be  a  real  soldier,  and  then  I 
may  be  able  to  show  myself  worthy." 

"Your  decision  is  good,"  said  Caesar.  "I  shall  raise 
new  legions  and  place  you  in  one  of  them.  In  the 
meantime,  you  may  be  a  tent  fellow  with  Sannio,  and 
report  with  him  for  service  to-morrow.  I  shall  keep  you 
in  mind,  and  I  expect  you  to  show  yourself  a  man  and  a 
soldier.  Come  and  consult  with  me  should  you  find  it 
necessary."  And  then  he  dismissed  Caius  and  turned 
to  other  affairs. 


56  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

As  the  youth  left  the  tent,  he  met  near  the  door  a 
number  of  the  gayer  young  men  in  brazen  armor,  who 
had  come  in  the  party  under  Pedius.  Among  them 
strutted  Lanius.  He  looked  at  Caius  with  wonder, 
and  almost  stopped  short  before  him  in  his  surprise ; 
but  Caius  gave  no  heed,  and  hurried  on.  However, 
he  was  not  rapid  enough  to  miss  hearing  one  of  them 
say,  "Lanius,  your  young  shepherd  seems  more  in 
favor  with  Caesar  than  we  are." 

Caius  slept  soundly  that  night  in  a  leather  army  tent, 
with  Sannio  and  seven  or  eight  others  —  the  usual 
number  assigned  to  a  tent  in  the  Roman  army  at  that 
time.  At  daybreak,  he  was  awakened  by  the  hoarse 
blare  of  a  bugle. 

"Ah,"  cried  Sannio,  jumping  up.  "That  seems  like 
old  times  in  Spain.  We  must  now  get  something  to 
eat  and  be  ready  for  the  next  thing  —  no  one  knows 
what  that  will  be  where  Caesar  commands." 

When  Caius  looked  forth  from  the  tent  he  saw  the 
camp  alive  with  soldiers  clad  only  in  their  tunics  and 
shoes,  all  hurrying  in  one  direction.  At  the  same 
moment,  one  of  his  own  tent  mates  brushed  out  past 
him  with  a  basket  of  grain  on  his  shoulder.  To  Caius's 
look  of  wonder,  Sannio  explained,  "They  are  going  to 
the  quaestorium  where  the  hand  mills  are  kept  to  grind 
the  barley  so  it  can  be  made  into  bread  or  broth.  The 
men  who  tent  together  take  turns  at  grinding  the 
grain." 

After  Caius  had  washed  down  with  cold  water  the 
simple  and  slight  meal  thus  referred  to,  he  heard  the 
notes  of  the  bugle  again  peal  forth. 

"That  means,"  said  Sannio,  "that  we  are  to  assemble 


THE    SHEPHERD    BECOMES    A   LEGIONARY  57 

at  once  in  the  praetorium.  Caesar  doubtless  has  some- 
thing of  importance  to  say."  And  together  they  hurried 
out  to  be  quickly  mingled  with  hundreds  of  soldiers 
wearing  their  arms  and  armor,  all  pushing  toward  a 
large  open  square  near  the  end  of  the  camp.  I  hey 
found  Caesar  already  mounted  upon  his  earthen  tri- 
bunal. 

The   soldiers   had   collected   in   an  incredibly   short 
time,  and  before  Caius  hardly  realized  it,  quiet  had 
ensued,   and   Caesar  was   speaking:    "Fellow  soldiers, 
the  Helvetians,  one  of  the  most  powerful  and  warlike 
peoples  of  all  Gaul,  are  now  threatening  to  march  in  a 
body   through   our   province.     They    are   planning   to 
leave  their  own  somewhat  narrow  territories  and  take 
up  their  abode  in  a  new  region.     Should  they  do  this, 
it  would  not  only  be  a  danger  to  the  safety  of  the  prov- 
ince, but  also  an  insult  to  the  dignity  of  Caesar,  your- 
selves, and  the  whole  Roman  people.     To  prevent  this 
I  propose  to  make  a  wall  and  ditch  from  Lake  Geneva 
to  Mt.  Jura,  a  distance  of  nineteen  miles. 

"As  to  the  Gauls  themselves,  we  need  not  dread 
them ;  for  the  Romans  have  overcome  them  in  numer- 
ous battles  for  the  last  two  hundred  years.  True,  they 
attack  with  fierce  yells,  a  dreadful  rattle  and  clangor 
of  their  arms,  and  incredible  speed  and  bravery, 
if  stoutly  and  steadily  withstood,  they  soon  give  way 
and  fly.  Gallic  rage  can  never  stand  against  Roman 

valor.  .  ,. 

"I  know  of  your  courage  and  fortitude,  especially 
that  of  the  Tenth  legion.     I  am  sure  it  is  not  necessary 
to  make  an  appeal  to  you  on  this  occasion, 
that   I    can   depend    upon   you.     Let   us   build   these 


58  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

works  as  rapidly  as  possible  while  our  other  men  collect. 
I  think  we  shall  soon  have  more  lively  and  mayhaps 
more  profitable  tasks.  Let  us  do  our  duty,  and  our 
rewards  will  come." 

This  short  speech  was  delivered  with  such  energy 
of  manner  and  such  magnetism  of  gesture  and  expres- 
sion, and  especially  were  the  last  two  sentences  uttered 
with  such  insinuating  grace,  that  Caesar  was  greeted 
with  shouts  and  cheers.  He  quickly  silenced  this 
applause  by  a  motion  of  the  hand  and  at  once  began 
giving  orders  to  his  officers,  who  had  gathered  around 
him. 

Trumpets  sounded,  and  immediately  all  were  in 
motion.  In  a  few  moments,  Caius  saw  thousands  of 
soldiers  marching  out  of  camp,  with  picks,  shovels, 
axes,  and  dirt  baskets  to  build  the  wall  and  ditch. 

While  watching  these  depart,  Caius  was  approached 
by  Lanius,  who  was  making  an  effort  to  smile  pleas- 
antly. "I  did  not  know  that  you  were  under  the 
especial  care  of  Caesar,  my  friend,"  he  said.  "I  hope 
you  will  pardon  my  little  jokes  and  be  friends  with 
me.  I  assure  you  I  meant  no  harm." 

"I  fail  to  see  why  your  ignorance  of  Caesar's  small 
but  kindly  interest  in  me  should  have  anything  to  do 
,with  the  unprovoked  insults  you  have  ofFered  me," 
replied  Caius,  rather  coldly.  "But  as  to  being  friends, 
I  can  say  that  I  shall  make  no  effort  to  do  you  harm." 

"I  am  a  free  man  among  free  men,"  flashed  Lanius. 
"I  owe  no  man  and  I  shame  to  face  no  man.  I  own 
three  villas  and  much  money.  I  feed  fifty  crops, 
six  dogs,  and  a  couple  of  horses.  I  drink  the  best  wine, 
and  always  find  myself  welcome  among  the  ladies." 


THE    SHEPHERD    BECOMES    A   LEGIONARY  59 

"I  care  nothing  for  your  wealth,"  said  Caius.  "But 
we  can  be  friends  if  you  show  yourself  really  friendly.'' 

Lanius,  though  eager  to  repair  what  seemed  a  mis- 
take, could  hardly  bear  the  cool  and  determined  manner 
with  which  Caius  met  his  advances.  So  he  said  with 
an  effort  at  control  of  himself,  "Very  well,  I  shall  see 
what  I  can  do,"  -  an  answer  which  might  have  a 
double  meaning  —  and  he  turned  away. 

"Did  you  see  the  look  of  hate  and  revenge  on  his 
face,  Caius?"  said  Sannio,  who  just  then  came  up. 
"You  have  made  an  enemy  - 
if  not  a  strong  one,  at  least  a 
sly  one.  I  knew  his  father.  He 
was  a  butcher,  and  one  of  the 
worst  men  in  Rome.  You  had 
best  be  on  your  guard  against 
the  young  one." 

Immediately  another  trumpet 
sounded  in  the  camp,  and  Caius 
with    a    number    of   other    men 
hastened    into    the    wide,    open 
space  between  the  tents  and  the 
camp    wall,    for    military    drill. 
Under  officers   detailed   for  the 
purpose,    the   youths    were    put 
through  exercises  for  strengthen- 
ing the  arms,  wrists,  legs,   and 
whole  body.     After  several  hours 
of  this  work,  they  were  marshaled  to  the  quarters  of  the 
camp  praetor,  where  that  officer  provided  each  with  a 
quantity  of  unground  barley  —  rations  for  two  weeks  - 
and  a  soldier's  outfit,  consisting  of  a  short  sword,  a 


6O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

long  javelin,  a  leather-covered,  iron-bound  shield,  an 
iron  helmet,  and  a  metal-plated,  leather  coat  of  mail. 

Caius  found  that  for  the  time  being  he  had  been 
placed  as  a  tent  fellow  with  several  former  soldiers  of 
Caesar,  and  with  others,  for  various  reasons,  in  Caesar's 
favor.  One  of  these  latter  especially  attracted  the 
attention  of  Caius  that  night  after  all  had  collected 
in  their  tent  and  were  chaffing  and  joking  each  other. 
This  person  —  Procillus,  the  others  called  him  —  was  of 
massive  form,  tall,  broad  in  the  shoulders,  down  to 
which  hung  the  thick,  fair,  curling  hair  of  a  great  head. 
He  had  a  big  yellow  mustache,  blue  eyes,  high  cheeks, 
and  fair  complexion.  He  wore  the  clothing  and  arms 
of  a  Roman  soldier,  but,  besides,  he  wore  vari-colored 
trousers,  and  rings,  bracelets,  and  armlets  of  gold, 
more  massive  and  barbaric  than  was  usual  among  the 
Romans. 

"Will  these  Helvetians  who  are  now  threatening 
a  march  through  the  Roman  province  fight  Caesar, 
think  you,  Procillus?"  asked  Sannio. 

"Yes,  they  will  fight  Caesar  or  any  one  else.  The 
Romans  should  know  that  well,  since  one  of  their 
armies  under  the  consul,  Lucius  Cassius,  was  some 
years  ago  defeated,  and  the  consul  himself  slain," 
replied  Procillus  in  a  voice  harsh,  heavy,  and  Gallic  in 
accent. 

"But  they  are  likely  to  find  a  different  task  when 
they  meet  Caesar,  are  they  not  ?"  asked  another. 

"Yes,  I  think  so,"  answered  Procillus.  "Caesar  is  a 
great  man  and  a  great  soldier.  For  my  part,  though 
my  father  was  born  a  Gaul  and  I  am  still  a  Gaul  at 
heart,  I  sincerely  wish  my  people  would  learn  the  cul- 


THE    SHEPHERD    BECOMES    A   LEGIONARY  6l 

ture  and  humanity  of  the  Romans.  I  am  sure  our 
Gallic  land  and  people  could  be  much  improved.  Our 
armies  would  be  almost  invincible  if  well  drilled  and 
organized  as  is  the  Roman  army.  But  the  Gauls  lack 
patience. 

"You  have  noticed  the  three  young  Gauls  who  stand 
for  hours  each  day  in  the  praetorium,  wearing  only  a 
short  straight  tunic.  Well,  they  enrolled  in  Caesar's 
army,  thinking  there  would  be  nothing  but  to  fight, 
as  is  usually  the  case  in  the  Gallic  army.  But  when 
they  found  that  they  must  drill,  drill,  day  after  day, 
Gallic  impatience  and  stubbornness  made  them  rebel, 
and  so  they  stand  at  their  meals,  are  deprived  of  their 
pay,  wear  the  straight  tunic,  and  stand  in  the  hot  sun 
like  any  insubordinate  Roman  soldier." 

"But  Caesar  is  kind  to  them,"  interrupted  Sannio. 
"He  stops  and  speaks  to  them.  By  and  by  they  will 
love  him,  and  be  ready  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  him." 

"Yes,  that  is  Gallic  nature,"  went  on  Procillus. 
"His  kindness  will  lead  them,  but  they  will  not  be 
driven.  Also,  when  I  asked  Caesar  many  questions 
about  Rome  and  its  people  and  their  customs,  he  told 
me  that  the  Romans  have  schools  in  which  their  youths 
learn  many  useful  things.  The  Druids  keep  our  only 
schools  and  they  teach  but  of  our  religion.  Caesar 
told  me  that  the  Romans  have  hundreds  of  straight, 
stone-paved  roads  to  all  parts  of  Italy.  Our  roads 
are  only  open  streaks  winding  through  the  forests  like 
a  broken  serpent.  They  are  often  boggy  and  impass- 
able. Our  agriculture  and  commerce  could  be  greatly 
improved.  Then,  too,  Caesar  told  me  that  all  Italy 
is  united  in  one  strong  government.  That  is  not  the 


62  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

case  with  us  Gauls.  We  are  divided  into  scores  of 
different  nations.  We  love  to  quarrel  among  our- 
selves, to  differ  in  every  way  possible.  We  will  never 
unite.  Each  nation  is  divided  against  itself,  and  there 
is  scarcely  a  family  but  its  members  take  sides  against 
each  other  in  all  public  affairs." 

"Do  you  think  it  probable  that  the  Gauls  will 
ever  willingly  accept  Roman  civilization?"  asked 
Sannio. 

"No,"  said  Procillus.  :'They  are  proud,  brave,  and 
believe  themselves  invincible.  Besides,  they  think  they 
are  already  superior  to  the  Romans  in  culture  as  well 
as  in  courage." 

During  the  succeeding  weeks,  Caius  drilled  many 
hours  each  day,  developing  strength,  learning  the  use 
of  his  short  sword,  hurling  the  long  heavy  javelin,  and 
becoming  accustomed  to  his  armor.  Then,  too,  there 
was  the  carrying  of  heavy  weights,  practice  in  vaulting 
upon  wooden  horses,  and  attacking  a  wooden  man  as 
though  he  were  a  real  enemy.  Indeed,  Caius  began 
to  be  quite  a  soldier  in  his  helmet,  tunic,  and  metal- 
plated  coat  of  mail. 

Occasionally,  he  saw  Lanius,  who  had  chosen  to  try 
his  chance  for  promotion  without  the  trouble  of  service 
in  the  ranks.  The  latter  was  always  dressed  in  the 
daintiest  style  that  camp  life  would  permit.  He  still 
made  efforts  to  appear  friendly  to  Caius,  who  fully 
distrusted  him,  because  of  the  thoroughly  graceless 
manner  in  which  he  did  it. 

Meanwhile,  Caesar,  leaving  the  camp  and  fortifica- 
tions under  the  command  of  Titus  Labienus,  his  most 
trusted  lieutenant,  himself  had  hurried  into  Italy  to 


THE    SHEPHERD    BECOMES    A    LEGIONARY  63 

enroll  new  legions.  He  soon  returned,  bringing  three 
old  legions  and  most  of  the  men  for  forming  two  new 
ones. 

Caius  was  at  his  drill  when  these  troops  came 
marching  into  camp.  When  he  had  finished  and 
returned  to  his  tent,  whom  should  he  meet  there  but 
his  old  friend  Baculus. 

"Well,  Caius,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,"  shouted 
Baculus,  very  heartily.  "I  told  you  that  we  should 
meet  again,  and  here  I  am.  What  a  fine-looking 
soldier  you  are  1  You  promise  well." 

"1  am  truly  glad  you  have  come,  Baculus,"  said 
Caius.  "I  am  sure  you  can  teach  me  much,  and  I  am 
eager  to  learn  the  art  of  war." 

"Well,  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  do  that,"  returned 
Baculus.  "In  what  legion  are  you  enrolled?" 

"I  do  not  know  yet,"  replied  Caius. 

"We  will  get  Pedius  to  mention  the  matter  to  Caesar. 
I  think  you  and  I  can  be  placed  in  the  same  one.  I  am 
to  be  in  the  Twelfth,"  said  Baculus. 

"That  will  indeed  be  to  my  liking,"  said  Caius. 

Following  this  plan,  it  was  arranged  the  next  day  for 
Caius  and  Sannio  as  well  as  Baculus  to  become  members 
of  the  new  Twelfth  legion.  Baculus  was  given  position 
as  the  first  centurion  of  the  legion,  and  Sannio  was 
made  centurion  in  the  second  hundred  of  maniples. 
As  most  of  the  men  of  the  legion  were  fresh,  Caius  was 
placed  as  a  common  soldier  in  the  second  hundred.  In 
these  positions,  the  three  friends  were  near  each  other 
in  the  ranks. 

A  day  or  two  later,  to  his  great  surprise,  Caius  got  a 
glimpse  of  old  Eredox  among  the  merchants  and  camp 


64  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

followers.  "How  came  he  in  Gaul  ?"  wondered  Caius. 
"I  left  him  at  Spoletum,  I  thought.  Besides,  I  wonder 
how  many  enemies  I  shall  have  among  my  friends. 
Here  are  Eredox  and  Lanius  —  both  sly  fellows  to  be 
watched." 


THE  SOLDIER  HAS  ADVENTURES 
66 


CHAPTER  I 
THE   SOLDIER  HAS  ADVENTURES 

NEARLY  two  months  had  passed  since  the  Proconsul 
entered  Gaul.  It  was  now  June,  and  the  sun  was  daily 
running  higher  up  the  horizon  and  shedding  bright 
floods  of  heat  over  the  earth. 

On  one  of  these  days,  Caius  saw  five  Gauls,  seemingly 
of  high  rank,  come  into  the  camp.  They  appeared  to 
be  in  great  haste,  and  their  faces  showed  excitement, 
and  even  despair.  Caius  noted  that  they  were  re- 
ceived at  Caesar's  tent,  and  he  saw  them  depart  later 
in  the  day,  seemingly  more  hopeful.  The  next  day 
and  the  next,  these  Gauls  and  others  came  to  the  camp 
for  conference  with  Caesar.  There  was  a  rumor  among 
the  legionaries  that  the  Haeduan  Gauls  feared  the 
Helvetians,  who  were  now  attempting  to  pass  into  Gaul 
by  a  route  other  than  the  one  which  Caesar's  fortifica- 
tions had  blocked  against  them.  Several  days  later, 
one  morning  at  early  dawn,  the  slumber  of  the  soldiers 
was  broken  by  the  hoarse  blare  of  the  tubas  sounding 
the  signal  to  strike  their  tents,  pack  their  baggage,  and 
be  ready  to  march  at  sunrise. 

As  soon  as  their  slight  morning  meal  was  eaten, 
Sannio  showed  Caius  how  to  pack  into  a  compact 
bundle  his  surplus  clothing,  his  heavy  soldier's  blanket, 
an  ax,  an  iron  hook,  a  leathern  thong,  a  chain,  and 
three  or  four  wooden  stakes.  This  bundle  was  to  be 
fastened  on  a  wooden  staff  and  carried  on  the  shoulder. 

STANDARD    BEARER 5  67 


68  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

The  soldiers  jokingly  called  it  the  "mule  of  Marius." 
These  articles  Caius,  as  well  as  every  other  Roman 
soldier  on  the  march,  must  carry  in  addition  to  his 
helmet,  shield,  sword,  and  javelin. 

When  Caius  turned  to  look  about  him  after  finishing 
this  task,  he  was  surprised  to  see  that  the  tents  were  down 
and  loaded  on  pack  animals,  along  with  the  hand  mills, 
praetor's  stores,  and  other  heavy  articles  of  the  camp. 
Indeed,  some  of  the  older  legions  were  already  forming 
for  the  march.  Everywhere  was  noise  —  the  blare  of 
the  trumpets,  the  shouts  of  men,  the  neighing  of 
horses,  the  loud  braying  of  mules,  the  clangor  of  arms, 
and  the  jangle  of  harness. 

But  out  of  all  this  seeming  confusion,  order  soon 
appeared,  and  the  legions  began  to  move.  As  the 
Twelfth  had  been  ordered  to  bring  up  the  rear  of  the 
army,  and  was  consequently  stationed  to  wait  till  all 
the  others  had  passed  forth  from  the  gate,  Caius  had 
ample  opportunity  to  see  the  legions  in  motion. 

First,  after  the  scouts  and  a  small  advance  guard  of 
light-armed  skirmishers,  came  the  Tenth  legion  with 
its  fluttering  standards  of  scarlet  and  its  golden  eagle. 
The  men  of  this  legion  won  Caius's  greatest  admira- 
tion, for  they  showed  by  their  firm  tread  and  strong 
faces  that  they  were  soldiers  of  skill  and  experience. 
Each  carried  his  bundle,  but  their  heavy  baggage 
followed  them,  loaded  on  pack  horses,  mules,  and 
wagons.  Next  came  another  legion  followed  by  its 
baggage,  and  then  another  and  another,  till  five  had 
passed  the  camp  gate. 

Then  the  Twelfth  fell  into  place,  ancf  now  Caius 
could  see  that  the  head  of  the  long,  swaying,  waving 


THE    SOLDIER   HAS    ADVENTURES  69 

line,  moving  twelve  by  twelve,  had  disappeared  into 
the  forest,  a  mile  away.  He  thought  he  had  never 
seen  so  fine  a  sight  as  those  thousands  of  sturdy,  steel 
and  bronze  clad  men,  whose  arms  and  ornaments 
flashed  and  sparkled  in  the  sunlight  of  that  bright 
June  morning  not  less  than  the  millions  of  dewdrops 
on  shrub  and  tree. 

He  was  filled  with  eager  delight,  and  a  pride  such  as 
he  had  never  known  thrilled  him  as  he  felt  himself  at 
last,  in  fact,  on  the  march,  a  real  soldier.  The  blood 
of  his  Roman  fathers  was  astir,  his  heart  beat  high,  he 
stepped  proudly. 

:'Take  it  easy,  Caius,"  said  Baculus,  who  dropped 
back  near  him  for  a  moment.  "Take  it  easy  and  step 
light.  Before  we  camp,  the  road  will  be  extra  hard  and 
the  bundle  double  heavy." 

"I'll  try  to  do  as  you  say,  Baculus,"  said  Caius,  some- 
what taken  aback,  "but  it's  hard  to  take  it  easy  now. 
I  feel  a  swelling  of  the  heart,  a  something  I  can't  say." 

"  You'll  feel  a  bigger  something-you-can't-say  than 
that  after  awhile,"  laughed  Sannio.  "You'll  feel  like 
you  are  going  to  drop  under  your  load,  and  still  you'll 
be  compelled  to  march  on  and  on." 

"Why,  Sannio,  is  it  so  bad  as  that  ?"  asked  Caius,  in 
grieved  tones. 

"Never  mind,  never  mind.  You'll  get  used  to  it  so 
you  can  carry  twice  as  much,"  said  Baculus,  who  now 
returned  forward  to  his  place. 

The  whole  army  moved  rapidly  westward.  No  one 
seemed  to  know  exactly  where  it  was  going,  but  there 
was  a  general  impression  that  the  Helvetians  were  to  be 
met.  Visions  of  rich  booty  to  be  won  were  already 


7O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

delighting  the  imaginations  of  Baculus  and  Sannio, 
as  well  as  hundreds  of  others  of  the  older  soldiers. 

When  the  sun  was  almost  straight  overhead,  far 
down  a  broad  opening  in  the  dense  forest  there  was 
seen  rapidly  advancing  a  great  body  of  horsemen. 
The  Romans  were  halted  and  stood  awaiting  the  ap- 
proach of  the  others. 

"They  mean  no  harm,"  said  Sannio.  "There  can't 
be  more  than  three  thousand  of  them,  and  even  the 
fighting  Gauls  are  not  so  mad  as  to  attack  five  legions 
with  so  small  a  force." 

Procillus,  who  acted  as  a  sort  of  attendant  and  inter- 
preter for  Caesar,  now  came  riding  back  from  the  front 
to  give  Baculus  some  order. 

"Who  are  they,  Procillus  ?"  shouted  the  centurion. 

"Only  a  body  of  cavalry  which  the  Haeduans  have 
sent  to  Caesar  to  aid  in  driving  the  Helvetians  out  of 
the  Haeduan  country,"  answered  Procillus.  He  gave 
Baculus  his  message  and  at  once  returned  to  Caesar. 

The  body  of  horsemen  was  now  near  enough  to  be 
easily  seen.  The  men  were  mounted  on  rather  small 
but  strong,  wiry  horses.  Each  man  was  clad  in  trou- 
sers, a  shirt,  a  tunic  of  bright  and  varied  colors,  a 
brazen  coat  of  mail,  and  a  brazen  helmet  adorned,  some 
with  tufted  horsetails,  others  with  the  horns  of  animals, 
and  still  others  with  the  wings  of  eagles.  Most  of 
them  also  wore  heavy  bracelets,  armlets,  and  collars 
of  bronze  and  gold.  Almost  every  man  of  them  had 
the  skull  of  an  enemy  hung  to  his  horse's  mane. 

Their  leader.  Dumnorix,  a  proud  and  ambitious 
young  noble,  was  of  the  same  general  appearance  as 
the  rest.  To  the  mind  of  Caius,  the  great  face  of  this 


THE    SOLDIER   HAS    ADVENTURES  71 

man,  with  its  stern  eyes,  big,  fierce  mustache,  and  set 
jaws,  seemed  to  express,  more  than  all  things  else, 
defiance. 

"And  has  this  man  come  to  aid  Caesar?"  he  asked. 
"I  would  more  readily  believe  that  he  had  come  to  spy 
upon  him  and  to  play  him  some  trick  of  treachery. 
Caesar  would  do  well  to  watch  him." 

"Never  fear,"  took  up  Sannio,  good-humoredly. 
"Caesar  watches  all  men  who  serve  him.  But  they 
never  know  it,  and  always  feel  that  he  trusts  them 
fully." 

After  some  passing  of  messengers  and  a  conference 
between  Caesar  and  Dumnorix,  the  Gallic  cavalry 
joined  with  the  army,  and  all  were  again  soon  in  motion. 

Caius  now  began  to  feel  the  truth  of  the  warning 
Baculus  had  given  him  in  the  early  morning.  His 
baggage  weighed,  in  fact,  about  fifty  pounds,  but  it 
seemed  now  to  have  grown  to  a  weight  of  at  least  a 
thousand.  He  felt  that  he  would  fall  and  be  crushed 
under  it  in  spite  of  all  he  could  do.  Several  of  the 
weaker  men  had  already  fallen  and  had  been  placed 
upon  the  wagons  and  pack  animals. 

But  Caius  held  stubbornly  on,  and  about  two  o'clock 
the  trumpets  sounded,  sharp  commands  ran  along  the 
lines,  and  a  halt  was  made.  The  army  had  reached  the 
place  where  a  camp  had  been  laid  out  by  the  officers 
and  the  men  sent  ahead  for  the  purpose.  This  place 
was  on  open  ground  sloping  gently  downward  in  the 
direction  in  which  the  army  was  moving.  At  the  foot 
of  this  slope,  near  the  camp,  a  small  stream  of  clear 
water  flowed,  where  men  and  animals  were  already  slak- 
ing their  thirst  when  the  Twelfth  legion  came  to  a  halt. 


72  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Immediately  all  were  set  to  work  to  build  the  camp. 
Some  retaining  their  arms  and  armor  stood  guard, 
others  put  up  the  tents,  some  dug  the  ditch  with  pick 
and  spade,  while  yet  others  carried  the  earth  from  the 
ditch  in  baskets  to  build  the  wall.  This  task  required 
steady  work  for  three  or  four  hours. 

Caius  was  helping  to  bring  timbers  to  build  a  wooden 
rampart  on  the  top  of  the  earthen  wall.  As  he  and  a 
fellow  worker  were  carrying  a  long  pole  past  where  a 
group  of  peddlers  and  camp  followers  were  erecting 
some  rude  tents  outside  the  camp,  he  was  surprised 
to  see  Lanius  and  Eredox  in  close  and  earnest  talk. 
The  two  did  not  notice  Caius  at  first,  and  he  had  passed 
near  enough  to  them  to  overhear  his  own  name  spoken 
by  Lanius,  before  they  observed  him.  They  immedi- 
ately separated,  each  seeming  to  make  an  effort  to  lose 
himself  in  the  crowd  as  quickly  as  possible. 

Here  was  a  new  puzzle  for  the  youth.  "How  did 
these  two  come  to  know  each  other  ?"  and  the  wonder 
grew  and  grew  upon  him.  Wearied  as  he  was  by  his 
first  day  of  actual  marching,  he  lay  sleepless  late  into 
the  night,  thinking,  wondering  about  the  thing.  At 
last  he  got  up,  went  outside,  and  sat  on  a  stone  near  the 
tent,  in  the  bright  moonlight.  It  was  cooler  there,  and 
gradually  his  vexation  began  to  subside.  "It  was  only 
by  chance  that  they  spoke  together,  and  perhaps  it  was 
not  my  name,  after  all,  that  I  heard,"  he  thought. 
" There  are  hundreds  of  soldiers  in  the  army  named 
Caius.  Besides,  I  believe  that  Eredox  has  had  enough 
of  me,  and  perhaps  Lanius  fears  Caesar  so  much  that 
he  will  not  trouble  me." 

But  just  then  he  heard  a  rush  and  a  curse  in  the  tent, 


THE   SOLDIER  HAS   ADVENTURES  73 

and  almost  at  the  same  time,  a  man  dashed  out  of  the 
tent  swiftly  followed  by  Baculus,  who  made  a  savage 
cut  at  the  fugitive  just  as  he  passed  Caius.  The  latter 
had  sprung  up  only  in  time  to  recognize  Eredox  as  he 
disappeared,  dodging  among  the  tents. 

"By  Hercules,"  muttered  Baculus.  "I  wish  I  had 
struck  the  villain.  What  could  he  be  doing,  sneaking 
into  our  tent  ?  and  who  is  he,  anyway  ? " 

"It  was  Eredox,  an  old  Gallic  soldier  from  Spoletum," 
said  Caius.  "Where  did  he  come  from  just  now  ?" 

"Perpol!  I  don't  know,"  replied  Baculus.  "The 
first  I  knew,  he  had  tripped  in  my  blanket  and  fallen 
headlong  in  the  tent.  I  seized  my  sword  and  followed, 
and  you  know  the  rest." 

Then  Caius  told  Baculus  in  low  tones  what  he  knew 
of  Eredox,  but  did  not  deem  it  wise  to  tell  of  seeing 
him  with  Lanius.  He  feared  it  would  not  be  well 
to  implicate  Lanius  in  a  questionable  relation  without 
direct  proof. 

They  went  back  into  the  tent.  Sannio  and  Procillus 
were  sleeping  soundly.  When  Caius  had  left  the  tent 
to  go  outside,  he  had  also  left  his  heavy  soldier's 
blanket  lying  in  a  heap.  He  now  stooped  to  pick  it  up. 
To  his  wonder  it  pulled  and  slipped  from  his  hand. 
On  close  examination  he  found  that  a  sword  had  been 
driven  through  the  several  folds  of  it,  and  on  deep  into 
the  ground,  where  it  yet  remained. 

"He  was  trying  to  kill  you!"  exclaimed  Baculus. 
"You  must  be  on  your  guard." 

"Yes,"  replied  Caius,  simply.  He  was  now  sure 
he  understood  what  he  had  seen  in  the  afternoon. 
But  as  there  was  little  to  be  said  and  less  to  be  done,  he 


74  THE   STANDARD   BEARER 

lay  down.  As  nothing  more  was  seen  of  Eredox  in  the 
camp,  Caius  decided  that  he  had  gone,  and  as  Lanius 
made  his  usual  efforts  —  neither  more  nor  less  —  to  be 
friendly  the  next  day,  the  alarm  of  the  youth  was 
soon  forgotten  in  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  succeeding 
days. 

It  now  became  definitely  known  that  Caesar  was  in 
pursuit  of  the  hordes  of  Helvetians  who,  with  their 
flocks  driven  before  them  and  their  women  and  children 
huddled  in  wagons,  were  descending  into  Gaul  like  an 
avalanche.  Indeed,  after  a  few  days,  Caesar  himself 
led  the  Tenth  legion  out  of  camp  and  marched  away. 
Caius  learned  on  their  return  that  the  Proconsul  had 
attacked  the  Tigurini,  a  part  of  the  Helvetians,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  Arar,  and  cut  them  to  pieces.  The 
elation  among  the  Romans  at  this  victory  was  some- 
what damped  a  few  days  later  when  the  cavalry  of 
Caesar,  composed  of  the  Haeduan  horsemen  under 
Dumnorix,  was  defeated  by  the  Helvetians  and  driven 
like  sheep  from  the  field. 

Nevertheless,  the  pursuit  continued  day  after  day. 
Once  Caesar  had  almost  brought  them  to  bay  and  forced 
a  battle,  but  his  plans  were  thwarted  by  one  of  his 
oldest  lieutenants,  Publius  Considius,  becoming  panic- 
stricken.  But  when  Caesar's  army  was  almost  without 
food,  and  he  had  turned  aside  to  Bibracte,  the  capital 
of  the  Haeduans,  to  procure  supplies,  then  the  Hel- 
vetians thought  he  feared  them,  and  they  turned  and 
followed  the  Romans. 

This  was  just  what  Caesar  desired.  He  now  drew  up 
the  main  part  of  his  army  in  a  triple  line  of  battle  to 
await  the  Helvetian  onslaught.  Back  of  this  line,  on  a 


THE    SOLDIER   HAS    ADVENTURES 


75 


high  hill,  he  arranged  his  baggage,  and  to  guard  it,  he 
placed  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  legions. 

Here,  upon  this  steep  and  grass-covered  hill,  these 
two  legions  of  recruits,  under  the  direction  of  Quintus 


Pedius,  hastily  drew  together  the  baggage  of  the  whole 
army,  and  began  making  a  ditch  and  wall  about  it. 
But  even  as  they  feverishly  worked,  it  was  impossible 
for  the  men  to  keep  their  eyes  turned  away  from  the 
teeming  thousands  of  brightly  clad  Helvetians  whose 
masses  were  now  about  to  break  on  the  Roman  legions. 


76  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Then  there  was  a  short  pause  in  the  uproar  and 
movement.  The  silence  was  intense.  Suddenly,  with 
a  loud  shout  and  clatter  and  rattling  of  their  arms, 
the  Helvetians  made  their  attack,  driving  the  Roman 
auxiliary  cavalry  under  Dumnorix  before  them.  Then 
they  formed  their  solid  phalanx  and  rolled  in  an  incon- 
ceivably close  packed  wave  upon  the  Roman  lines. 
At  this  moment,  not  even  the  rigidity  of  Roman  dis- 
cipline could  hold  the  men  on  the  hill  to  their  work  of 
ditching  and  wall  building.  Every  man  of  them  stood 
with  sight  and  hearing  strained  upon  the  commingling 
masses  of  men,  horses,  shining  spears,  and  glittering 
swords,  weaving  and  working  in  the  valley  below. 

"By  Hercules!"  exclaimed  Baculus.  "How  I  wish 
I  were  there  fighting  like  a  soldier  instead  of  ditching 
here  like  a  cabbage  grower !  See,  Caius,  it  is  a  man's 
glory  to  fight  like  that.  In  the  delight  of  it,  you  fear 
nothing,  you  feel  no  cuts,  you  hear  nothing,  you  care 
for  nothing  but  victory  and  the  glory  and  honor  of  the 
Roman  people.  But  look  yonder !  See  that  body  of 
horsemen  running  away.  Is  it  not  our  Gallic  cavalry 
under  Dumnorix  ?  Yes,  so  it  is,  by  all  the  Roman 
eagles  !  And  chased  by  a  horde  of  those  striped  bar- 
barians. I  think  you  said  Dumnorix  would  bear  watch- 
ing, Caius.  By  Hercules  and  all  his  labors  !  I  wish  I 
were  there."  And  he  ground  his  teeth  and  clenched 
his  big  fists. 

But  Caius  was  silent  and  stood  fixed,  his  heart, 
like  a  caged  thing,  beating  against  his  ribs,  his  eyes 
staring  on  the  scene  of  horror  and  death  below,  and  a 
great  sickness  coming  over  him. 

The  carnage  continued  till  late  at  night,  and  during 


THE    SOLDIER   HAS    ADVENTURES  77 

the  whole  time  no  Helvetian  was  seen  to  turn  his  back 
and  flee.  But  at  last  when  so  many  of  them  had  been 
cut  down  by  the  Roman  swords  that  they  could  no 
longer  stand  against  the  steady  press  of  the  Roman 
lines,  the  survivors  broke  and  fled  as  if  by  common 
consent,  and  then  the  Romans  cut  and  hewed  them 
more  fearfully  than  ever. 

Those  who  escaped,  after  a  day  or  two  surrendered 
themselves  to  Caesar.  While  the  hostages  and  arms 
of  the  Helvetians  were  being  collected,  six  thousand 
men  of  the  tribe  of  the  Verbigeni,  who  were  among  the 
surrendered,  thinking  their  departure  would  be  un- 
noticed, just  as  soon  as  night  fell,  betook  themselves 
to  flight. 

Caesar  at  once  ordered  the  Helvetians  to  bring  the 
Verbigenians  back  to  him  if  they  wished  his  friendship 
and  protection.  The  Helvetians  searched  them  out 
of  fen  and  forest,  and  dragged  them  back  to  Caesar's 

camp. 

The  next  morning  Caius  beheld  a  horror  which  he 
had  not  imagined  possible.  At  the  command  of 
Caesar,  unarmed,  the  Verbigenians  were  marched  up 
to  a  line  of  legionaries,  who  stabbed  them  as  they  came, 
until  rows  and  heaps  of  the  huge  stripe-clad  bodies 
lay  stiff  and  silent  in  great  ^>ools  of  their  own  blood. 

And  then  pity  awoke  in  the  heart  of  the  young 
Roman  for  his  hated  enemies,  even  the  Gauls. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE   SOLDIER  HEARS  A  GENERAL'S   SPEECH 

A  FEW  days  later,  a  great  number  of  chiefs  from  all 
Gaul  —  Sequanians,  Parisii,  Arvernians,  Biturigans, 
Lingones,  Senones,  Ambiarrians,  Carnutes,  Rauracians, 
and  Madubians  —  great  chiefs  all,  came  to  congratulate 
Caesar  on  his  having  defeated  the  Helvetians,  and  driven 
them  back  into  their  own  mountain  homes.  Caesar 
entertained  them  lavishly  and  dismissed  them.  On 
the  next  day,  several  of  them  returned  and  sought  a 
secret  conference  with  Caesar.  It  was  granted,  and 
for  a  great  part  of  the  day  they  were  shut  up  with 
Caesar  in  his  tent. 

"Procillus,  tell  us  about  the  Gauls  who  came  into 
camp  to-day,"  exclaimed  Sannio  after  the  four  friends 
had  gathered  that  night  about  a  bright  light  of  faggots 
in  their  tent.  "Were  they  trying  to  make  peace  or 
shall  we  look  for  more  lively  work  to  come  ?" 

"I  fear  it  will  be  what  you  call  lively  work,"  replied 
Procillus.  "The  men  whom  you  saw  at  Caesar's  tent 
to-day  were  chiefs.  They  came  from  almost  all  the  states 
of  Gaul.  As  Caesar  had  me  to  act  as  interpreter  for 
him,  I  learned  their  business  fairly  well.  Since  I  am 
sure  that  my  tent  mates  will  not  strew  the  news  about 
the  whole  camp,  I  can  tell  you  of  it." 

"Is  there  likely  to  be  hard  fighting  ?"  asked  Baculus. 

"And  rich  plunder?"  added  Sannio. 

78 


THE    SOLDIER   HEARS    A   GENERAL  S    SPEECH          79 

"Is  there  to  be  more  trouble  with  the  Gauls?" 
inquired  Caius. 

"I  will  tell  you  something  of  the  country  and  its 
people,  and  then  your  questions  will  all  be  answered," 
said  Procillus. 

"Make  haste  then,"  urged  Baculus.  "I  did  not  get 
to  fight  the  Helvetians  at  Bibracte  because  the  Twelfth 
legion  was  left  to  the  tame  task  of  guarding  the  baggage. 
I  am  anxious  for  something  to  do." 

"Well,  to  begin  with,"  said  Procillus,  "all  Gaul  has 
long  been  divided  against  itself.  Each  state  fears  the 
outcome  of  any  united  action  as  likely  to  be  more 
helpful  to  its  neighbor  than  to  itself.  Hence  there  is 
continual  jealousy  and  striving.  At  the  present  time, 
the  states  of  Gaul  are  grouped  in  two  factions.  At 
the  head  of  one  of  them  are  the  Haeduans  ;  and  of  the 
other,  the  Arvernians.  The  strife  between  them  has 
gone  on  for  years. 

"At  last,  a  few  years  ago,  the  Arvernians  hired  a 
body  of  fifteen  thousand  Germans  to  come  across  the 
Rhine  and  aid  them  against  the  Haeduans.  The 
Haeduans  then  had  the  worst  of  the  fighting,  and  lost 
most  of  their  cavalry,  nobles,  and  senators.  They  were 
compelled  to  give  hostages  to  the  Arvernians  and  Ger- 
mans as  a  pledge  that  they  would  pay  tribute  and  would 
not  seek  aid  from  the  Romans.  But  affairs  were  soon 
worse  for  the  Arvernians  than  for  the  Haeduans, 
because  the  Germans  settled  among  them  and  reduced 
them  to  the  position  of  allies.  And  the  Germans  came 
in  ever  greater  numbers  and  still  they  come,  and  take 
the  Arvernian  lands.  Ariovistus,  the  king  of  the 
Germans,  is  a  proud,  cruel  man,  and  the  Gauls  have  a 


8O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

mortal  dread  of  him  and  his  tortures,  whether  he  be 
present  or  absent/' 

"I  imagine  these  Germans  might  offer  some  hard 
fighting,"  said  Baculus. 

"The  more  the  Gauls  are  divided  among  themselves, 
the  better  for  Caesar  and  his  brave  soldiers,"  exclaimed 
Sannio.  "It  is  said  the  Gauls  are  rich,  and  if  they  were 
not  already  divided,  Caesar  would  soon  bring  about  a 
division." 

"Yes,"  said  Procillus.  "'Divide  and  rule'  might 
almost  be  said  to  be  his  motto.  The  embassy  which 
you  saw  to-day  begged  Caesar  to  aid  them  against  the 
Germans." 

"And  did  Caesar  agree  to  do  so?"  quickly  asked 
Baculus. 

"Yes,"  answered  Procillus.  "As  the  Haeduans  are 
allies  of  the  Roman  people,  he  could  not  afford  to  do 
otherwise.  Besides,  as  Caesar  fears  the  Germans  might 
overrun  Gaul  and  then  pass  into  Italy  and  even  attack 
Rome,  he  thinks  it  best  to  check  them  at  once.  That 
is  why  I  think  we  are  to  have  more  fighting.  Perhaps 
more  than  you  wish,  for  the  Germans  are  very  fierce 
and  terrible.  Ariovistus  has  an  army  that  has  never 
been  beaten,  and  the  men  have  been  so  constantly  in 
war  and  on  the  march  that  they  have  not  dwelt  in 
houses  for  fourteen  years." 

But  in  spite  of  the  reputed  powers  of  the  Germans, 
each  of  the  four  wrapped  himself  in  his  blanket,  lay 
down  on  the  ground,  and  went  off  to  sleep  with  no  whit 
of  doubt  as  to  the  outcome  of  a  battle  between  the 
armies  of  Caesar  and  Ariovistus. 

Procillus   kept  the  other  three  informed  from  day 


THE    SOLDIER   HEARS    A   GENERAI/S    SPEECH          8l 

to  day.  Ariovistus  had  flatly  refused  a  conference 
with  Caesar,  as  well  as  compliance  with  Caesar's  demands 
that  Ariovistus  give  up  the  hostages  to  the  Haeduans 
and  cease  troubling  these  people  and  their  affairs. 
Ariovistus  claimed  that  Gaul  belonged  to  him  and  he 
would  act  with  it  as  he  chose. 

As  other  embassies  of  Gaul  came  to  complain  of  the 
Germans,  Caesar  now  broke  camp,  and  by  forced 
marches  proceeded  northward  to  attack  the  haughty 
barbarians.  While  on  the  march,  a  message  was 
brought  to  Caesar  that  Ariovistus  was  on  his  way  to 
besiege  Vesontio,  a  Sequanian  city,  richly  supplied 
with  the  means  of  carrying  on  war.  By  advancing 
day  and  night,  Caesar  reached  Vesontio,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  it.  Ariovistus  halted  his  army  miles  and  miles 
away.  Caesar  spent  several  days  at  Vesontio  to  collect 
provisions  for  his  army. 

On  the  fourth  day  after  reaching  the  place,  the 
soldiers  were  given  a  day  of  rest.  As  Caius  walked 
about  the  camp,  he  began  to  notice  that  the  soldiers 
stood  here  and  there  in  groups,  talking  earnestly  and 
excitedly.  On  the  edge  of  one  of  these  groups  he 
stopped. 

''The  Germans  are  so  large,"  he  heard  a  Haeduan 
say  while  measuring  as  high  as  he  could  reach  with  his 
arm.  "One  of  them  is  larger  and  stronger  than  four 
Romans." 

'They  may  very  well  be  big,  but  are  they  brave  ?" 
asked  Lanius,  who  happened  to  be  one  of  the  group. 
Caius  easily  saw  that  Lanius  was  far  from  feeling  so 
careless  as  he  wished  to  pretend. 

"Brave!"  exclaimed  the  Haeduan.     "There  are  no 


82  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

braver  people  in  the  world.  Their  women  as  well  as 
their  men  will  fight  to  the  death  in  battle,  and  you 
never  see  a  German  wounded  in  the  back." 

"They  are  trained  to  be  brave  and  to  fight  from  their 
childhood  up,"  added  Matho,  the  old  merchant  of  the 
Ravenna  inn.  "I  have  traveled  and  traded  in  the 
German  country,"  he  went  on.  "I  have  seen  their 
boys  and  young  men  swim  and  bathe  in  the  icy  rivers 
in  midwinter,  and  they  practice  going  without  food  for 
days  at  a  time.  I  have  seen  a  party  of  the  German 
young  men  fix  swords  thick  in  the  ground,  blades 
pointed  upward.  Then  they  would  fasten  swords  and 
spears  in  a  framework  of  poles  so  that  some  pointed 
downward  over  those  fixed  in  the  ground,  while  others 
extended  in  all  directions  over  those  pointed  upward. 
This  made  a  very  bramble  of  bristling  points.  Then 
the  young  men  would  leap  into  the  midst  of  these  and 
dance  and  writhe  and  whirl,  in  and  out,  up  and  down, 
around  and  about,  and  never  be  so  much  as  scratched." 

"Why,  at  the  battle  of  Magetobriga,"  said  the 
Haeduan  who  had  first  spoken,  "when  we  fought  this 
same  Ariovistus  and  his  soldiers,  I  saw  Germans  leaping 
and  fighting  and  dodging  in  the  battle  in  the  same  way 
that  you  mention  and  at  the  same  time  cutting  and 
thrusting  with  their  heavy  swords  so  that  there  was 
no  escaping  them.  Both  my  brother  and  I,  with  sword 
and  spear,  set  upon  a  big  German  warrior  and  made 
our  heaviest;  cuts  upon  him,  and  it  is  likely  that  the 
demon  would  have  hewed  us  both  down  had  not  the 
whole  army  taken  flight,  and  so  I  escaped,  but  my 
brother  fell,  split  from  head  to  waist." 

Caius  saw  the  face  of  Lanius  grow  pale  and  his  lips 


THE    SOLDIER   HEARS    A    GENERAL'S    SPEECH          83 

tremble.  A  sort  of  uneasiness  seemed  to  have  laid 
hold  upon  most  of  the  others  of  the  group,  and  this 
evidently  added  to  the  fear  of  Lanius. 

"But  Caesar  is  likely  to  make  peace  with  these 
Germans,  is  he  not  ?"  asked  he.  "I  am  sure  I  hope  he 
will,  for  I  am  a  free  man  among  free  men.  I  owe  no 
man  and  I  shame  to  face  no  man.  I  own  three  villas 
and  much  money.  I  feed  fifty  stomachs,  six  dogs,  and 
a  couple  of  horses  at  my  own  house  in  Rome.  I  drink 
the  best  wine  and  always  find  myself  welcome  among 
the  ladies.  But  when  it  comes  to  fighting  these  Ger- 
mans, I  care  —  '  and  he  broke  off  with  the  words 
stuck  in  his  throat,  and  turned  hastily  away  to  his 
tent,  like  a  whipped  cur. 

"No  one  knows  whether  he  and  Caesar  will  make 
peace,"  said  the  Haeduan.  "I  know  I  shall  not  meet 
them  in  battle  if  I  can  get  away.  I  could  never  bear 
their  gnashing  teeth  and  glittering  eyes.  Why,  in  the 
battle  of  Magetobriga,  you  could  see  the  fire  flash  and 
sparkle  from  their  eyes.  It  burned  your  face  and  you 
could  not  bear  to  look  upon  them.  When  fighting, 
they  roar  and  rage  and  rally  like  so  many  wild  boars." 
The  Haeduan's  face  plainly  showed  that  he  was  in 
earnest  and  that  he  had  experienced  the  terror  that  he 
was  inspiring  in  his  listeners. 

The  group  soon  began  to  fall  apart.  Caius  moved 
toward  Caesar's  tent,  where  he  had  been  appointed  to 
stand  guard  during  the  evening.  The  old  merchant, 
Matho,  fell  in  by  his  side  and  tried  to  sell  him  a  strong 
coat  of  chain  mail  of  superior  workmanship.  "You 
will  need  it  much  when  Caesar  leads  you  into  battle 
with  the  Germans,"  he  argued.  But  Caius,  well  know- 

STANDARD    BEARER 6 


84  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

ing  his  mother's  need  for  all  the  money  he  could  earn, 
thanked  the  old  man,  left  him,  and  hurried  on  up  the 
streets  between  the  tents  to  his  duty.  On  the  faces  of 
all  he  met,  he  now  saw  fear  and  doubt.  Dread  seemed 
to  have  settled  on  every  soldier  in  the  camp.  "Surely, 
these  Germans  must  be  the  most  fearsome  warriors  in 
all  the  world  !"  he  thought. 

When  he  had  taken  his  position  on  guard  near  the 
door  of  Caesar's  tent,  he  was  surprised  at  the  demeanor 
of  the  young  nobles,  previously  so  light-hearted,  who 
now  came  and  went.  As  an  ominous  stillness  had 
fallen  over  all  the  camp,  he  could  hear  snatches  of  the 
talk  within  the  tent. 

"I  need  to  return  to  Rome  to  attend  to  a  lawsuit  that 
I  have  before  the  courts,"  Caius  heard  one  of  them  say 
to  Caesar.  "May  I  go  with  your  permission  ?" 

"I  fear  not,"  he  heard  Caesar  reply  coldly  and  firmly. 
"  Your  actions  make  it  appear  that  you  will  be  of  small 
use  here,  but  if  you  go,  others  will  wish  to  go,  and  thus 
my  army  will  be  demoralized.  You  must  stay.  Go 
to  your  tent  and  take  heart." 

Others  came  to  the  tent  with  hope,  and  left  in  despair. 
Among  these  was  Lanius.  "Will  the  noble  Caesar  permit 
me  to  return  to  Rome  ?"  Caius  heard  him  ask.  "I  have 
a  large  investment  which  demands  my  attention." 

"I  cannot  spare  you,  Lanius,"  Caesar  replied.  "I 
shall  likely  meet  the  Germans  in  battle  soon,  and  as 
they  are  most  terrible  enemies,  I  shall  need  all  my 
brave  friends." 

And  Caius  thought  he  caught  a  note  of  sarcasm  in 
Caesar's  voice. 

When  Lanius  passed  from  the  tent,  his  head  was 


THE    SOLDIER   HEARS    A   GENERAL  S    SPEECH          85 

drooping,  his  eyes  were  fastened  on  the  ground,  and  his 
face  was  working  convulsively. 

"How  like  you  being  a  soldier  now,  Caius?"  asked 
Caesar,  who  came  after  a  while  from  his  tent. 

"Sir,  I  hardly  know,"  replied  Caius.  "I  did  not 
get  to  fight  in  the  Helvetian  battle,  and  if  these  Ger- 


mans  be  so  dreadful  as  they  say,  I  fear  I  shall  have  to 
fight  more  than  I  wish." 

"Ah,  well,  dangers  lessen  when  approached,"  smiled 
Caesar.  "As  we  easily  overcame  the  Helvetians,  so 
shall  we  defeat  the  Germans.  And  I  promise  you  that 


86  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

when  we  next  join  battle,  you  shall  have  opportunity 
to  try  your  arms." 

Caius  was  soon  relieved  from  guard,  and  as  he  was 
leaving  Caesar's  tent,  he  was  joined  by  Baculus.  The 
centurion  was  quiet  and  had  little  to  say,  but  his  face 
showed  firm,  strong,  and  fearless. 

'Tell  me  about  the  Germans,  Baculus,"  said  Caius. 
"Are  they  really  so  dreadful  ?" 

"I  do  not  know,"  replied  Baculus.  "But  if  Caesar 
marches  against  them,  we  shall  soon  learn.  Of  that 
there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  if  we  all  go  down  to  Hades, 
across  the  much-ferried  Styx,  it  will  only  be  surely 
soon  instead  of  mayhap  late.  I  think  Caesar  and  his 
five  legions  can  conquer  all  the  Gauls  and  Germans 
between  the  Alps  and  the  sea." 

"Do  you  think  our  legion  will  fight  well  in  battle, 
Baculus  ?"  asked  Caius. 

"Yes,  by  Hercules,"  snapped  Baculus.  "It  must 
fight.  I  shall  see  that  it  fights  or  falls.  It  must  show 
itself  worthy  of  Caesar's  favor." 

Caius,  though  he  had  not  felt  the  panic  displayed  by 
many  of  the  others,  nevertheless  was  reassured  and  felt 
more  cheerful.  As  they  passed  down  the  long  lines  of 
yellow  leathern  tents,  they  drew  aside  several  of  the 
flap  doors  and  looked  in.  On  the  ground  in  one, 
the  men  lay  huddled,  in  abject  fear,  bemoaning  their 
fate.  One  wretch  was  praying  the  gods  to  save  them 
all  from  slaughter  by  the  fearsome  Germans.  In  an- 
other tent  the  men  were  making  their  wills  and  writing 
last  messages  to  relatives  and  friends.  In  still  another 
they  saw  Lanius  weeping  and  muttering  prayers  to  all 
the  gods,  and  vowing  to  dedicate  one  of  his  Roman 


THE    SOLDIER    HEARS    A    GENERAI/S    SPEECH  87 

villas  to  them  if  allowed  by  Caesar  to  go  to  Rome 
before  the  next  battle  came  on.  And  so  in  all  the  tents 
were  men  given  over  to  panic  fear  and  black  despair. 

"By  Pollux !"  blurted  Sannio,  whom  they  met  at  the 
door  of  their  own  tent.  "What  is  to  become  of  us? 
It  seems  that  there  is  no  escape  from  these  Germans. 
What  are  we  to  do  ?  I  think  there  is  little  plunder  to 
be  taken  from  them,  anyway." 

"Fight  them  is  what  we  shall  do,  plunder  or  no 
plunder,"  said  Baculus,  sullenly.  "And  when  we 
finish  with  them,  if  any  of  the  legion  be  left  alive, 
Caesar  shall  say  the  Twelfth  can  be  trusted." 

Then  the  bugle  sounded  the  call  for  the  whole  army 
to  assemble.  The  soldiers,  as  they  moved  toward  the 
praetorium,  presented  a  shamed  and  whipped  appearance. 

When  they  had  collected,  Caesar  calmly  mounted  his 
earthen  tribunal.  He  coolly  began  to  censure  some  of 
his  officers  for  the  reasons  they  had  urged  why  he  should 
not  march  against  Ariovistus.  Then  he  spoke  to  the 
men  somewhat  thus:  "Fellow  soldiers,  why  should 
you  show  so  much  dread  of  Ariovistus  and  his  Germans, 
anyway  ?  In  my  consulship,  only  last  year,  did  not  that 
king  come  to  the  City  and  most  eagerly  plead  for  the 
friendship  of  the  Roman  people  ?  Was  it  not  granted 
him  ?  Why,  then,  should  any  one  so  rashly  judge  that 
he  will  now  be  recreant  to  his  alliance  and  his  duty  ? 
As  for  myself,  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  just  so  soon  as 
my  demands  are  made  known  to  Ariovistus  and  their 
justness  is  clear  to  him,  he  will  repudiate  neither  the 
favor  of  the  Roman  people  nor  even  that  of  myself. 
And  though  he  should  be  led  on  by  rage  and  madness 
to  begin  a  war,  why  should  you  fear  him  ?  or  why  should 


88  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

you  despair  of  your  own  former  courage  ?  A  test  of 
this  enemy  has  already  been  made  within  the  memory 
of  our  fathers  when  the  Cimbrians  and  the  Teutons 
were  destroyed  by  Caius  Marius,  at  which  time  the 
army  seemed  to  deserve  no  less  praise  than  the  com- 
mander himself.  Indeed,  these  are  the  same  Germans 
whom  the  Helvetians  have  very  often  fought  and 
vanquished.  But  you  have  lately  seen  that  we  easily 
vanquished  the  Helvetians,  who  were  by  no  means  a 
match  for  our  army."  And  thus  Caesar  soothingly 
reasoned,  and  ended  by  saying,  "Now,  I  did  not  at 
first  mean  to  advance  at  once,  but  at  present  it  is  my 
fixed  intention  to  move  the  camp  forward  to-morrow 
at  dawn  so  that  I  may  learn  as  quickly  as  possible 
whether  obedient  duty  or  shameful  cowardice  rules 
you.  If  no  man  else  will  follow  me,  I  shall  go  alone 
with  the  Tenth  legion.  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  loyalty 
and  courage,  and  it  shall  be  a  body-guard  for  me." 

The  soldiers  of  the  Tenth  legion  shouted  their  cheers, 
and  their  chief  centurion  was  seen  briskly  stepping 
forward  to  thank  Caesar  for  the  compliment  and  to 
assure  him  that  the  confidence  in  the  legion  should 
not  be  abused. 

Caius  felt  his  heart  sink  at  being  in  a  legion  thus 
slighted.  Old  Baculus  some  little  distance  away 
blurted  out,  "  By  Hercules,  the  Twelfth  can  be  trusted, 
too.  I  shall  see  that  it  can." 

As  Caesar  had  said,  the  army  advanced  at  dawn,  and 
for  seven  days  it  moved  forward  toward  Ariovistus. 
At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  two  armies  were  about 
twenty  miles  apart. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  SOLDIER  SAVES  HIMSELF  BY  FLIGHT 

"ARIOVISTUS  now  sends  messengers  to  say  that  he  is 
ready  to  hold  a  conference  with  Caesar,"  said  Procillus 
to  Caius,  Sannio,  and  Baculus,  coming  into  their  tent 
at  night  of  the  seventh  day's  march.  "He  claims  that 
as  Caesar  has  now  come  nearer  to  him,  he  can  meet 
the  Proconsul  without  danger." 

"I  should  guess  that  he  is  rather  beginning  to  think 
that  he  may  be  compelled  to  meet  Caesar  with  very 
great  danger,"  laughed  Sannio.  "He  seems  not  to 
know  exactly  his  own  mind  about  this  matter.  Some- 
times it  is  one  way  and  sometimes  another,  as  said  the 
countryman  who  lost  a  \potted  pig." 

"Well,  I  only  hope  we  may  have  a  battle,  so  we  can 
show  Caesar  that  the  Twelfth  legion  is  as  deserving  of 
trust  and  honor  as  the  Tenth,"  said  Baculus,  ignoring 
Sannio's  effort  at  humor. 

Caius  said  nothing.     He  rather  wished  if  there  must 

'be  a  battle,  it  might  be  fouajjt  with  the  Gauls  and  not 

with  the  Germans.     In  fadfe  the  latter  seemed  more 

like  friends  because  they  were  hostile  to  the  Gauls,  his 

own  enemies. 

"When  is  the  conference  to  be  ?"  asked  Sannio. 
"On    the    fifth    day    from    this,"   replied   Procillus. 
"Ariovistus  demands  that  he  and  Caesar  shall  meet, 
attended  only  by  cavalry.     So  I  fear  none  of  us  will 
be  permitted  to  go. 

89 


9O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"What!"  exclaimed  Baculus.  "Surely  Caesar  will 
not  trust  himself  to  his  cavalry.  Even'  man  of  them 
is  a  Gaul,  and  would  wish  nothing  better  than  to  betray 
him,  they  are  so  uncertain  and  fickle/' 

"No,"  said  Sannio.  "You  may  be  sure  he  will  not 
do  that.  But  he  will  do  something  that  will  cause  you 
to  open  your  eyes.  Just  wait  and  see.  Listen !  I  hear 
an  owl.  That  is  an  omen  of  evil  to  some  of  us."  And 
he  changed  a  large  ring  from  one  of  his  hands  to  the 
other. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  appointed  for  the  confer- 
ence with  Ariovistus, Caesar  had  the  soldiers  of  the  Tenth 
legion  to  dress  as  Gallic  cavalry.  He  then  mounted 
them  upon  the  horses  of  his  Haeduan  cavalry.  Pro- 
cillus  was  summoned  to  go  as  interpreter.  Baculus, 
Sannio,  and  Caius,  despite  the  knowledge  that  they 
were  in  a  new  and  untried  legion,  nevertheless  felt  a 
jealousy  of  the  Tenth  they  could  not  well  hide. 

"Caesar  has  done  more  for  us  than  he  promised," 
said  a  soldier  of  the  Tenth,  as  they  went  galloping  out 
of  the  camp,  bumping  with  much  awkwardness  and 
pain  on  the  backs  of  their  horses.  "He  promised  to 
make  us  praetorians ;  he  has  made  us  knights."  A 
burst  of  laughter  from  the  soldiers  of  the  Tenth  legion, 
loud  but  broken  with  the  jolting,  greeted  this  sally. 

"And  you  are  making  ridiculous  clowns  of  yourselves," 
yelled  Sannio  to  him,  as  they  bounced  past  where  he 
stood  guard.  "May  Pluto  take  you  every  one!  You 
look  like  donkeys  on  housetops." 

That  night  Procillus  gave  the  three  friends  an  account 
of  the  meeting  with  King  Ariovistus.  The  wily  old 
German  had  demanded  that  they  meet  on  the  summit 


THE    SOLDIER    SAVES    HIMSELF    BY   FLIGHT  9! 

of  a  knoll  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  considerable  plain. 
The  cavalry  of  each  was  left  about  two  hundred  paces 
away,  and  each  leader  went  to  the  top  of  the  hill, 
attended  by  only  ten  men.  Caesar  then  explained  his 
demands  to  Ariovistus  again,  and  Ariovistus  haughtily 


refused  them,  and  spent  more  time  in  boasting  than  in 
trying  to  arrange  for  peace. 

The  Germans  soon  discovered  that  Caesar's  horsemen 
were  not  the  Gallic  cavalry  they  had  expected.  Enraged 
at  the  deception,  they  began  to  ride  around  the  Romans 
and  to  cast  stones  and  javelins  upon  them.  This 


92  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

ended  the  conference,  for  Caesar  hastened  away  to 
prevent  his  men  from  beginning  a  fight  with  the  Ger- 
mans. He  knew  he  could  easily  rout  them,  but  he 
was  unwilling  to  do  anything  that  would  furnish  the 
least  ground  for  the  imputation  of  treachery.  Caesar 
had  then  returned  directly  to  his  own  camp. 

There  now  seemed  no  doubt  among  the  Romans  that 
a  battle  was  impending.  A  great  eagerness  for  it 
sprang  up  in  the  camp  when  the  soldiers  were  told  how 
insolently  the  German  king  had  spoken  to  Caesar. 
Preparations  for  battle  were  made  and  all  previous 
doubt  and  fear  vanished. 

Two  days  later  Ariovistus  again  sent  messengers  to 
Caesar,  saying  that  he  wished  to  finish  the  discussion 
which  they  had  begun  in  the  former  conference.  Caesar 
saw  no  further  reason  for  parley  with  the  Germans. 
But  he  nevertheless  decided  to  send  Procillus  and 
Marcus  Metius  to  learn  what  Ariovistus  wished  to  say. 

Sannio  and  Caius  were  detailed  by  Caesar  to  go  with 
these  two  as  guards.  Procillus  and  Sannio  with  a 
driver  went  ahead  in  one  chariot,  while  Caius  and 
Metius  followed  in  another. 

"I  like  not  this  business,"  said  Metius  when  they 
were  well  out  upon  the  way.  "I  once  lived  for  some 
time  in  the  household  of  this  King  Ariovistus.  He 
is  a  bold,  rash  man.  He  hates  the  Romans,  and  it 
is  by  no  means  certain  that  he  will  give  Caesar's  messen- 
gers a  pleasant  welcome." 

"He  is  not  likely  to  do  them  harm,  surely,"  guessed 
Caius. 

"Ah,  that  is  uncertain,"  replied  Metius.  "I  once 
saw  him  cleave  the  skulls  of  two  Gallic  messengers  in 


THE    SOLDIER    SAVES    HIMSELF    BY   FLIGHT  93 

his  own  tent  because  he  was  angry  at  their  nation  for 
not  paying  him  tribute.  For  my  part,  I  wish  I  were 
left  safe  in  Caesar's  camp." 

They  drove  rapidly  on  over  the  rough  road,  over  the 
gently  sloping  country,  seeing  here  and  there  small 
groups  of  thatched  huts  of  the  Rauracians,  through 
whose  territory  they  were  passing.  But  for  the  most 
part,  the  land  had  been  stripped  bare  of  all  crops, 
flocks,  and  homes  by  the  hordes  of  the  Germans  in 
their  passage. 

About  noon  they  approached  the  summit  of  a  long, 
wooded  ridge.  Here  they  saw  stretching  far  away  in 
opposite  dirctions,  a  line  of  wagons  and  heavy  carts, 
placed  close  and  bound  together  by  chains.  Beyond 
rose  the  smoke  of  innumerable  camp  fires. 

As  they  drew  nearer,  they  saw  great  numbers  of  huge- 
bodied  Germans  within  the  line  of  wagons,  while  near 
a  narrow  opening  in  the  line  stood  a  small  guard  of 
armed  men.  In  a  space  cleared  of  trees  were  playing 
hundreds  of  fair,  curly-haired,  blue-eyed  children,  for 
the  most  part  bare  of  any  clothing. 

"You  now  see  the  German  camp,"  said  Metius.  "  Be 
ready  to  act  quickly.  We  shall  soon  know  the  outcome 
of  this  venture." 

Metius,  knowing  the  German  language  well,  hailed 
the  guard  and  was  soon  signaled  to  approach.  After 
some  parley  Metius  returned  to  the  chariot,  and 
then  he  and  Procillus  went  into  the  German  camp. 
Caius  and  Sannio  were  not  near  enough  to  hear 
what  was  said  after  the  two  men  were  admitted  within 
the  lines  formed  by  the  wagons.  But  soon  a  loud 
uproar  of  harsh  and  guttural  voices,  mingled  with  the 


94  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

jangle  of  arms,  rose  upon  the  air,  and  then  they  saw 
great  numbers  of  huge,  fair-skinned  men  come  rushing 
from  the  gate  toward  them. 

"They  mean  to  take  us!"  cried  Sannio.  "About! 
Let  us  fly!  Drive,  Caius,  drive!" 

Caius  waited  for  no  second  bidding.  The  foremost 
Germans  were  almost  upon  them  before  they  could 
turn  the  chariot  and  get  started.  To  add  to  the  danger, 
they  saw  a  number  of  horsemen  dash  out  from  the  camp 
and  come  clattering  after  them  with  shouts  and  yells. 

The  drivers  guided,  and  Caius  and  Sannio  lashed  the 
horses  to  their  utmost  run.  The  Germans  on  foot  were 
quickly  left  behind,  but  those  on  horses  rapidly  gained 
upon  the  Romans. 

"Drive,  Caius,  drive,  as  hard  as  ever  you  can!" 
shouted  Sannio  again.  "  There  is  a  short  cut  through  the 
hills.  Some  of  them  may  head  us  off.  Drive  for  life  !" 

Some  five  or  six  of  the  horsemen  steadily  gained. 
One  hurled  a  javelin.  It  sang  like  a  great  arrow,  barely 
missing  Sannio,  and  passed  between  the  two  horses, 
doing  no  harm.  Another  javelin  from  a  stronger  hand 
struck  quivering  in  the  chariot  bed  in  which  Caius 
rode.  Sannio  cast  a  heavy  Roman  javelin,  and  the  horse 
of  the  foremost  German  pitched  headlong  on  the  road, 
making  an  obstacle  on  which  the  next  two  tumbled 
in  a  squirming,  kicking  heap.  The  two  latter,  both 
horses  and  riders,  quickly  recovered,  and  all  came  on 
breakneck  speed  again. 

"Hurl  your  javelin  if  you  must,  but  first  of  all  drive, 
Caius,"  shouted  Sannio.  "We  must  get  away  if  we 
can.  We  are  too  few  to  fight." 

The  foremost  German,  a  giant  in  stature,  hurled  his 


THE    SOLDIER    SAVES    HIMSELF    BY    FLIGHT  95 

javelin.  It  sang  in  the  air  and  struck  Caius's  driver 
square  between  the  shoulders,  and  he  pitched  screeching 
from  the  chariot,  dragged  by  the  reins  and  bumping 
and  knocking  cruelly  on  the  rough  places  and  stones 
in  the  road.  Sannio's  javelin  whizzed,  and  the  huge 
German  fell  and  was  quickly  pounded  into  a  lifeless 
mass  of  bleeding  flesh  by  the  rushing  hoofs  of  those 
behind. 

The  horses  of  Caius's  chariot  now  began  to  be  un- 
manageable. Sannio's  chariot  dashed  up  near  his  on 
the  right.  "Caius,  when  I  slow  up  and  give  the  sign, 
quickly  change  to  this  chariot,"  shouted  Sannio. 

The  Germans  had  dropped  somewhat  behind,  on  the 
fall  of  their  huge  leader,  and  seemed  to  be  planning. 
Caius  now  watched  Sannio's  every  move.  Soon  they 
came  to  where  the  road  made  a  sharp  turn  to  the  right. 
Sannio  here  gave  Caius  the  signal  to  make  the  change, 
and  at  the  same  instant  he  pierced  Caius's  right-hand 
horse  with  a  javelin.  The  poor  brute,  screaming 
piteously,  plunged  at  length  on  the  road,  thus  stopping 
the  other  horse  and  the  chariot,  and  blocking  the  way. 
Caius  quickly  leaped  to  the  other  chariot,  and  then  they 
were  again  rushing  onward,  while  their  pursuers  were 
momentarily  checked  by  the  wreck  of  Caius's  chariot. 

"What  shall  we  do  now  ?"  said  Caius,  seeing  that 
besides  their  swords  no  weapons  were  left  them  excepting 
a  single  javelin  for  each.  This  state  of  affairs  was 
what  the  Germans  had  expected,  and  now  they  were 
coming  on  like  the  wind,  though  their  number  had 
thinned  to  three. 

"  We  must  save  our  remaining  weapons  until  we  are 
compelled  to  use  them,"  replied  Sannio.  "Hold  on  to 


96  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

the  chariot  and  keep  a  good  heart.  We  are  now 
drawing  near  the  place  where  the  hill  road  comes  into 
this,  and  we  may  have  more  enemies  waiting  for  us 
there." 

After  a  few  minutes  more  of  hard  riding,  they  were  in 
sight  of  where  the  hill  road  came  in.  No  living  thing 
was  to  be  seen. 

"Perhaps  we  have  been  too  swift  for  them  to  head 
us  off  here,"  said  Sannio. 

On  clattered  the  chariot  and  nearer  pressed  the  Ger- 
mans behind.  Now  the  chariot  was  passing  the  end 
of  the  hill  road,  and  now  two  Germans,  breathing 
thick  and  running  hard,  dashed  out  upon  them.  One 
of  them  seized  the  bridle  of  the  horse  on  the  left.  He 
was  of  such  huge  size  that  his  weight  caused  the  horses, 
though  running  their  hardest,  to  swing  around  in  a 
circle.  As  they  did  so,  the  horsemen  came  up.  One 
of  their  javelins  laid  out  one  of  the  Romans'  horses. 
Sannio  let  drive  with  his  javelin,  and  the  German  who 
had  killed  the  horse  pitched  gurgling  and  cursing  to 
the  ground,  the  long  heavy  shaft  straight  through  his 
breast.  As  the  chariot  swung  about,  Caius  had  cut 
at  the  second  man  on  foot,  and  he  felt  a  fierce  and 
savage  delight  in  seeing  that  breathless  warrior  tumble 
in  a  heap,  limp  and  loose,  his  arm  and  whole  shoulder 
split  almost  from  his  body.  Just  then  another  javelin 
sang,  and  Caius  felt  a  sting  in  his  side  and  heard  a 
tearing  noise. 

Meanwhile  Sannio  leaped  down  from  his  chariot 
and  with  his  sword  had  stabbed  another  German, 
and  then  the  horse  of  another  from  beneath,  and  it  had 
fallen,  pinning  the  rider  to  the  ground.  The  last 


THE    SOLDIER    SAVES    HIMSELF    BY   FLIGHT  97 

German,  seeing  himself  alone,  now  betook  himself  to 
the  woods,  leaving  his  horse. 

"By  Pollux,"  panted  Sannio,  "but  we  have  had  some 
hard  work  with  no  plunder.  What's  that  ?  Are  you 
hurt,  Caius?" 

"I  think  it  is  nothing,"  replied  Caius,  as  he  examined 
a  red  smudge  spreading  on  his  white  tunic.  "A 
javelin  barely  nicked  my  side.  No  harm  is  done." 

"We  surely  would  have  had  it  if  the  last  two  had 
been  fresh  and  strong,"  said  Sannio.  "But  we  must 
get  away  from  here.  Others  may  come  on  at  any 


moment/' 


They  now  found  that  the  driver  was  wounded  and 
hardly  able  to  move.  They  laid  him  on  the  chariot, 
and  Sannio  now  caught  the  horse  of  the  German  who 
ran  away.  The  animal  stood  well  enough  to  be 
harnessed,  but  he  was  no  sooner  hitched  than  he  began 
to  plunge  and  rear  and  kick.  Sannio  had  the  reins 
and  called  to  Caius  to  get  into  the  chariot.  They 
then  sped  forward,  the  new  horse  plunging  and  trying 
to  quit  the  road,  but  the  other,  a  heavier  horse  of 
Roman  breed,  held  him  in  place. 

They  reached  the  camp  about  an  hour  after  dark. 
As  they  drove  up  Caius  was  sure  he  saw  Lanius  and 
Eredox  together  in  the  crowd  of  merchants  and  peddlers 
outside  of  the  camp  walls. 

Inside,  Caius  and  Sannio  reported  to  Caesar.  "By 
Jupiter !  the  barbarians  shall  pay  the  penalty  for 
violating  the  laws  of  embassies,"  said  Caesar,  quietly. 
And  then  he  gave  orders  for  Caius,  Sannio,  and  even 
the  driver  to  have  special  attention  given  their  hurts 
and  hunger. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  SOLDIER   FIGHTS   IN  A  GREAT  BATTLE 

"Bv  Hercules,  but  fortune  slights  me  sorely," 
complained  Baculus,  after  listening  to  Caius's  account 
of  their  escape  from  the  Germans.  "  Here  I  am  left 
out  of  everything  that  smells  of  a  fight.  I  got  tired 
of  soft  living  and  joined  Caesar's  army,  expecting  hard 
fighting.  And  now  here  I've  been  in  Gaul  some  three 
months,  and  nothing  yet.  I  missed  both  the  battles  with 
the  Helvetians,  and  even  the  little  adventure  yesterday. 
I  wish  I  had  been  with  you,  boy,"  he  went  on,  speaking 
to  Caius.  "I  would  have  shown  you  how  to  fight 
them." 

"We  showed  them,  didn't  we,  Caius?"  laughed 
Sannio,  good-naturedly.  "We  got  away  from  the  whole 
German  army,  and  killed  a  part  of  it,  besides.  The 
Germans  have  twice  played  Caesar  treacherous.  I 
guess  old  King  Ariovistus  knows  he  can't  conquer 
Caesar  in  battle.  So  he  takes  every  advantage  he  can. 
When  a  man  can't  beat  his  mule,  he  whacks  the  pack- 
saddle.  And,  Baculus,  you  should  have  seen  Caius. 
He  acted  like  a  veteran." 

"Come,  don't  flatter  me,  Sannio,"  said  Caius.  "I 
was  glad  enough  when  that  last  fellow  took  to  the 
woods." 

"I  was  sorry  enough  we  didn't  have  time  to  take  the 
armor  and  horses  of  those  two  we  cut  down,"  said 
Sannio,  with  a  long  face. 

98 


THE    SOLDIER   FIGHTS    IN   A    GREAT    BATTLE  99 

"Well,  if  there  is  no  fighting  soon,  I  think  I  shall  be 
like  some  of  Caesar's  friends.  I  shall  have  urgent 
business  at  Rome,"  said  Baculus,  with  a  meaning  smile. 

Just  then  the  sentries  on  guard  raised  an  alarm. 
Hurrying  from  their  tents,  as  did  the  thousands  of 
other  soldiers  in  camp,  they  saw,  a  mile  away,  moving 
past  them,  a  vast  mass  of  men,  carts,  wagons,  and 
animals.  Almost  immediately  scouts  brought  news 
that  this  was  the  army  of  Ariovistus,  and  that  it  was 
encamping  on  a  chain  of  heights  about  two  miles 
away,  with  the  purpose  of  intercepting  the  supplies  of 
grain  which  the  Haeduans  had  promised  to  furnish 
Caesar. 

"I  begin  to  believe  that  you  soon  will  have  your  wish, 
Baculus,"  said  Sannio,  as  they  stood  and  watched  the 
trooping  thousands.  "If  Caesar  does  not  join  battle 
with  this  Ariovistus  inside  of  five  days,  I  shall  no  longer 
claim  to  know  anything  of  him." 

"So  be  it,"  grunted  Baculus.     "I  am  ready:" 

On  the  next  day,  Caesar  marched  his  army  forth  and 
drew  up  a  line  of  battle  about  halfway  between  his 
own  camp  and  that  of  Ariovistus.  Caesar  thus  offered 
combat,  and  after  the  Roman  manner  had  his  camp 
to  fall  back  upon  in  case  of  need.  But  Ariovistus 
refused  the  proffer,  not  allowing  his  men  to  come  out. 

And  in  this  way,  for  five  days,  Caesar  offered,  and 
Ariovistus  declined  battle.  The  Roman  legionaries, 
having  lost  all  fear  of  their  enemy,  were  full  of  antici- 
pation, expecting  each  day  the  greatest  battle  of  their 
experience. 

On  the  sixth  day,  in  order  not  to  be  cut  off  longer 
from  his  grain  supplies,  Caesar  chose  an  elevated  point 

STANDARD    BEARER 7 


100  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

about  two  miles  from  his  own  camp,  and  about  half  a 
mile  from  that  of  the  Germans,  and  sent  a  force  of  men 
to  make  a  smaller  camp  upon  it.  The  Twelfth  was 
one  of  the  legions  sent,  and  with  the  Tenth  and  Eighth, 
it  was  posted  to  protect  the  others  while  they  dug 
the  ditch  and  built  the  walls. 

This  work  began  about  sunrise  and  went  rapidly 
forward.  The  legions  on  guard  were  drawn  up  in  line 
facing  the  German  camp.  The  Tenth  held  the  center, 
with  the  Eighth  on  the  right  wing  and  the  Twelfth 
on  the  left.  This  arrangement  threw  Caius,  Baculus, 
and  Sannio  not  far  from  the  center  of  the  line,  and 
almost  directly  in  front  of  where  the  new  camp  was 
being  built. 

About  the  second  watch  of  the  day,  a  large  troop  of 
horsemen  was  seen  to  issue  from  the  German  camp, 
and  advance. 

"By  Hercules,"  snorted  Baculus.  "I  do  believe 
here  is  going  to  be  something  to  do  at  last.  Now, 
fellow  soldiers,  now  is  the  time  to  make  a  name  for 
the  Twelfth  legion." 

Caius  in  his  place,  six  ranks  from  the  front,  watched, 
wide-eyed,  with  breathless  interest. 

On,  swiftly  on,  came  the  black-clad,  white-skinned 
Germans.  At  a  distance  of  three  hundred  paces  from 
the  Roman  ranks,  they  slowed  and  quickly  formed 
themselves  into  a  wedge-shaped  body  with  its  point 
toward  the  Romans.  It  was  then  seen  that  there  were 
two  men  to  each  horse. 

"Ho,  ho,  they  are  forming  a  swine's  snout.  They 
mean  to  root  us  out  of  Gaul  with  it,"  said  Sannio. 
"See,  Caius,  the  soldiers  call  that  wedge  formation 


THE    SOLDIER   FIGHTS    IN   A    GREAT    HATT-LE         iQT 

a  swine's  snout.  Its  point,  I  think,  is  going  to  strike 
near  us,  too." 

Caius  heard  a  hoarse  blare  from  hundreds  of  huge 
horns,  and  then  he  saw  the  German  host  roll  toward 
the  Romans  like  a  black  cloud.  The  young  soldier's 
heart  seemed  to  float  in  his  throat  like  a  hot  liquid, 
and  a  great  sickness  almost  overcame  him.  A  youth 
at  his  side  fainted,  and  a  man  two  ranks  to  the 
front  of  him  was  heaving  hard  with  nausea.  Never- 
theless, Caius  felt  an  almost  mad  desire  to  dash  to 
meet  the  on-coming  wedge,  but  Roman  discipline  held 
him  in  place,  quivering  and  gripping  his  javelin. 

The  command  to  cast  their  javelins  now  rang  loudly 
in  the  Roman  ranks.  Caius,  with  thousands  of  others 
in  the  three  legions,  poised  and  hurled  the  heavy, 
steel-pointed  shafts,  and  then  for  the  first  time  he 
heard  the  whizzing  swish  and  hurtling  whine  of  the 
very  storm  of  javelins  as  they  glinted  through  the  air, 
and  fell  rattling  as  they  glanced,  or  thudding  as  they 
struck,  on  the  wedge  of  men  and  horses. 

Many  Germans  fell,  some  loose  in  death,  others 
yelling  and  roaring  with  the  pain  of  their  wounds. 
Almost  at  the  same  instant  when  the  javelins  were 
cast  the  second  man  on  each  horse,  a  foot  soldier, 
leaped  down  and  with  the  others  began  to  form  small 
circles  about  the  wounded  and  to  remove  them  from 
danger.  Meanwhile  the  advance  of  the  Germans 
had  not  been  checked. 

They  hurled  their  own  heavy  javelins,  and  many 
Romans  were  killed.  Again  the  Romans  cast,  and 
again  numbers  of  Germans  toppled  from  their  horses, 
and  were  quickly  surrounded  by  their  foot  soldiers. 


102 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


And  now  the  point  of  the  wedge  struck  the  Roman 
line  almost  in  front  of  where  Caius  stood,  and  came 
crashing  into  it,  overbearing  rank  after  rank  of  the 
legionaries  and  crushing  them  to  the  ground,  while 


even  the  rearmost  Roman  ranks  were  driven  backward 
by  the  terrific  shock.  Then  the  Roman  short  swords 
were  out  and  passing  back  and  forth,  causing  horses 
and  riders  to  fall  like  grain  before  the  scythe.  It  was 
not  till  the  wedge  had  pierced  almost  through  the  entire 


THE    SOLDIER   FIGHTS    IN   A   GREAT    BATTLE         103 

first  maniple  that  the  force  of  the  charge  was  some- 
what broken.  Indeed,  Caius  himself  stabbed  the  fore- 
most horse,  while  Sannio  slew  the  rider  as  he  pitched 
headlong  on  the  ground. 

The  Germans  hastily  drew  back,  and  formed  their 
wedge  behind  those  second  men  who  had  quickly  passed 
between  the  horses  to  the  front  and  had  made  a  strong 
line  to  protect  the  horsemen.  Then  immediately  the 
wedge  rushed  and  plunged  upon  another  part  of  the 
Roman  line.  But  again  it  was  repelled.  Finally 
the  Germans  retreated,  the  footmen  clinging  to  the 
horses'  manes  and  easily  keeping  up  with  their  hardest 
run. 

Caius  now  saw  that  some  forty  of  the  men  of  Baculus's 
maniple  were  fallen.  A  few  only  were  wounded,  while 
most  of  the  other  fallen  were  crushed  and  mangled  to 
death  by  the  horses'  hoofs.  This  left  a  huge  gap  in 
the  line  before  him. 

"By  Hercules,  but  they  came  near  killing  all  of  my 
maniple,"  exclaimed  Baculus,  wiping  the  blood  from  a 
great  cut  on  his  face.  "  But  by  the  Roman  eagles,  it 
was  a  pretty  little  piece  of  work,  and  the  Twelfth  will 
fight.  Caesar  now  knows  that.  I  hope  we  shall  see 
those  Germans  again  soon.  Are  you  hurt,  Caius  ?" 

"No,  only  frightened  a  little,"  answered  Caius.  "I 
believe  I  am  not  hurt  so  badly  as  you  are." 

"Ah,  it  is  well  that  I  came  out  alive,"  exclaimed 
Baculus.  "Five  of  the  rascals  set  upon  me,  and  after 
I  had  slain  three  of  them,  it  was  only  by  good  luck  that 
I  was  able  to  hamstring  another  as  he  hung  to  a  horse 
and  got  away  with  the  rest." 

The  work  was  hindered  no  further,   and  the  new 


IO4  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

camp  was  finished  by  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
Then  Caesar  left  the  Seventh  and  Twelfth  legions  to 
hold  it,  and  took  the  others  back  to  the  larger  camp. 

When  the  ranks  of  the  first  cohort  of  the  Twelfth 
legion  were  rearranged,  Caius  was  advanced  to  a  place 
in  the  first  rank  of  the  first  maniple.  This  change  put 
him  under  the  command  of  Baculus,  and  was  considered 
a  promotion,  for  a  Roman  soldier  was  promoted  from 
the  rear  ranks  toward  the  front,  and  from  the  left  of 
the  lines  toward  the  right.  Caius  now  held  a  place 
in  the  front  ranks,  only  eight  places  from  the  right, 
thus  being  near  Baculus,  his  centurion. 

On  the  next  day,  Caesar  again  offered  Ariovistus 
battle  more  persistently  than  before,  keeping  his  men 
in  line  until  noon.  Seeing  that  Ariovistus  would  not 
fight,  he  then  led  his  men  back  into  camp. 

Early  on  the  third  day  after  the  new  camp  was 
made,  Sannio  returned  to  the  tent  from  the  quaes- 
torium,  where  he  had  been  to  grind  the  corn. 

"Well,  Baculus,"  he  said,  "you  are  always  wanting 
a  fight.  I  think  you  will  have  one  to-day.  Caesar 
means  to  force  the  Germans  to  a  battle.  When  he 
consulted  the  auspices  the  sacred  chickens  came  eagerly 
from  their  cage,  the  silence  was  silence  perfect,  and 
half  the  crumbs  fell  from  the  chickens'  mouths  as  they 
greedily  ate.  The  omen  was  good,  and  already  the 
red  battle  flag  hangs  from  a  spear  on  Caesar's  tent." 

"Suits  me  exactly,"  muttered  Baculus.  "I  hope 
he  won't  change  his  mind." 

And  just  then  the  tubas  of  all  the  legions  sounded  with 
a  deafening  blare  for  the  legions  to  march  forth  and 
form  in  line  of  battle  as  on  the  previous  days.  Im- 


THE    SOLDIER    FIGHTS    IN   A   GREAT    BATTLE         105 

mediately  the  men  shouted,  "To  arms!  To  arms!" 
the  legions  fell  into  place,  and  were  soon  outside  of  the 
camp  in  line  of  battle.  The  Seventh  was  on  the 
extreme  left,  and  the  Twelfth  next,  while  the  others 
were  in  the  center  and  on  the  right. 

After  the  line  was  formed,  Caesar,  on  his  great  splay- 
footed horse,  rode  up  and  down  the  lines,  encouraging 
his  men,  and  urging  them  to  remember  all  their  former 
bravery  and  their  hopes  of  future  glory.  Besides,  he 
hinted,  there  might  be  some  more  substantial  rewards, 
if  the  victory  were  won. 

The  order  to  advance  was  sounded,  and  then  the 
line,  more  than  a  mile  long,  moved  forward  over  the 
rocky,  tree-covered  ridges,  toward  the  German  en- 
campment. On,  right  up  to  within  a  hundred  paces 
of  it,  the  Romans  moved,  and  then  halted. 

"Come  out,"  shouted  a  Roman  soldier,  "and  make 
good  the  boasts  of  your  insolent  king." 

"Come  out  and  beat  the  mule,"  called  Sannio. 
"You  have  whacked  the  pack  long  enough." 

"Yes,"  roared  Baculus.      "We  are  ready  for  you." 

And  so  hundreds  of  Roman  voices  cast  insults  upon 
the  Germans,  and  the  Germans  hurled  their  taunts 
upon  the  Romans.  And  though  their  speech  differed, 
each  understood  the  other's  meaning. 

Caesar  was  yet  making  some  slight  changes  in  his 
line,  when  a  movement  was  observed  among  the 
Germans,  and  then  they  were  seen  to  issue  by  thousands 
from  numerous  places  in  their  lines  of  wagons,  and 
quickly  form  their  line  of  battle,  having  their  wagons 
behind  them  as  a  rampart.  On  this  wall  of  wagons  the 
black-garbed  women  and  the  children  were  seen  climb- 


IO6  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

ing,  and  then  with  flying  hair,  and  with  their  white 
arms  extended,  they  begged  the  men  not  to  give  them 
over  to  the  Roman  soldiers. 

Now  the  German  battle  horns  sounded  loudly  and 
harshly,  the  German  line  moved,  broke  into  a  run, 
faster  and  faster,  and  came  on  with  a  rattle,  a  clangor, 
and  a  clamor,  that  made  the  Roman  veins  swell  almost 
to  bursting  with  the  hot  blood  pounding  through  them. 

At  the  same  moment,  the  Romans  dashed  forward. 
So  swift  was  the  onset  of  each  that  there  was  no  time 
for  throwing  their  javelins.  These  were  dropped, 
and  with  swords  drawn,  both  lines  closed  upon  each 
other  with  a  horrid  shock  that  sounded  up  and  down 
the  lines  like  a  sudden  burst  of  thunder  over  a  hollow 
valley.  The  Germans  had  locked  the  front  line  of 
shields  before  them  and  the  other  lines  above  them, 
and  formed  their  phalanx. 

Caius,  with  an  exhilaration  he  had  never  before 
known,  had  rushed  with  the  legion  upon  the  Germans. 
As  the  two  armies  had  crashed  together,  he  felt  himself 
stunned  and  the  breath  almost  crushed  from  him  by 
the  impact  on  the  wall  of  hard  shields.  Recovering 
quickly,  he  found  himself  opposed  to  two  huge  German 
warriors,  both  protected  by  their  shields  and  both 
striking  at  him  savagely.  With  all  the  din  and  push 
and  confusion,  he  barely  saved  himself  with  sword 
and  shield.  A  fleeting  glance  as  he  dodged  and  parried 
showed  him  the  Roman  to  his  left  fallen,  with  his  blood 
and  brains  oozing  from  a  cleft  skull. 

Baculus  now  called  out,  "Leap  upon  them,  men, 
and  tear  their  shields  down."  At  once  the  Roman  on 
Caius's  right  leaped,  and  clutched  at  the  top  edge  of  a 


THE    SOLDIER    FIGHTS    IN   A   GREAT    BATTLE 

German  shield,  and  he  was  as  quickly  run  through  with  a 
long  two-edged  sword.  He  fell,  but  a  stream  of  dark 
blood  was  pouring  upon  the  ground  before  his  body 
reached  it.  Caius  had  only  a  glimpse  of  all  this,  for 
at  the  same  instant,  he  himself  had  leaped  upon  the 
shields,  and  had  only  been  saved  from  a  like  fate  by 
the  parrying  of  the  soldier  directly  behind  him.  As 
it  was,  he  caught  the  top  edge  of  a  shield  with  his  left 
hand,  and  dragged  it  down.  Two  soldiers  from  the 
second  rank  had  passed  up  beside  him,  and  now  all 
three  thrust  stoutly  into  the  opening.  A  German  fell, 
and  in  doing  so,  dragged  down  two  other  shields,  thus 
exposing  their  owners.  These  two  Germans  were  quickly 
stabbed,  and  the  opening  in  the  walls  of  shields  grew. 

Caius  next  found  himself  in  combat  with  a  single 
German  giant,  who  swung  his  long  sword,  roared, 
leaped,  cut,  and  thrust  so  swiftly  and  adroitly  that 
Caius  could  scarcely  defend  himself.  The  young 
Roman,  however,  kept  his  head,  made  a  movement  as 
though  to  dash  into  the  opening  to  the  German's  right, 
and  when  his  antagonist  whirled  to  prevent  this,  thus 
exposing  his  own  left  side,  Caius's  already  bloody  blade 
darted  forward  like  an  adder's  tongue.  He  saw  the 
German  weaken,  totter,  and  sink  in  a  heap  with  the 
blood  spurting  from  a  gash  in  his  side.  And  so  the 
young  soldier  fought,  now  here,  now  there,  until  he  was 
so  weak  and  weary  that  it  seemed  he  must  fall  and  die 
among  the  litter  of  corpses  that  strewed  the  ground. 

At  last  as  he  pressed  half  stupidly  on,  he  became 
dimly  aware  of  a  Roman  close  at  his  side  hard  pressed 
by  three  Germans.  A  quick  glance  showed  it  to  be 
Baculus.  As  the  tide  of  battle  had  flowed  somewhat 


108  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

away  from  the  youth,  he  was  not  now  engaged  with 
any  particular  foe.  So  he  quickly  hurled  himself 
upon  the  nearest  of  the  antagonists  of  Baculus.  As  he 
did  so,  the  German  swung  his  long,  heavy  sword,  and 
Caius  must  have  been  cleft  to  the  teeth  had  he  not 
parried  with  his  own  sword,  upon  the  superior  metal  of 
which  the  German's  weapon  broke.  Caius  thrust, 
and  the  German  fell.  Baculus  meanwhile  had  cut 
down  another  of  his  assailants,  while  the  third  betook 
himself  to  flight. 

"By  Hercules,"  panted  Baculus,  "I  think  that  is 
once  you  have  saved  my  life.  They  were  about  to  get 
me,  I  believe.  But  look  !  they  are  leaving  us." 

Caius,  clearing  the  blood  and  dust  from  his  eyes, 
now  saw  that  the  whole  German  army  was  in  flight. 
Far  to  his  right  he  heard  the  thunder  of  Caesar's  Haeduan 
cavalry,  bearing  down  upon  the  disordered  barbarians. 
Dumnorix  was  proving  that  he  could  fight  for  Caesar 
against  the  Germans,  even  if  he  had  failed  in  the  battle 
against  the  Helvetians.  The  Romans,  too,  broke  into 
pursuit.  Soon  they  came  upon  the  line  of  wagons. 
Here  strange  sights  met  their  eyes.  A  few  of  the  women 
were  yoking  horses  to  wagons,  trying  to  escape.  Many 
more,  the  Romans  saw  to  their  astonishment,  were 
coolly  cutting  the  throats  of  their  little  ones,  and  then 
their  own.  The  Roman  soldiers  butchered  thousands 
of  them,  as  they  broke  over  the  wagons,  and  then  on, 
pursuing,  hewing,  cutting,  hacking,  stabbing,  the 
flying  Germans. 

Baculus  kept  his  cohort  fairly  well  together.  On,  on, 
they  followed,  the  whole  army  leaving  behind  it  a 
track  of  dead,  dying,  plundered  bodies. 


THE    SOLDIER   FIGHTS    IN   A   GREAT    BATTLE         109 

As  Caius,  Baculus,  and  Sannio  pressed  forward,  they 
saw  two  Germans  dragging  a  man  who  was  loaded 
with  chains  on  his  arms  and  legs.  He  seemed  half  dead, 
and  only  moved  because  of  his  guards'  threatening 
gestures  with  their  brandished  swords.  The  three 
hurried  toward  the  prisoner. 

"By  Hercules,"  exclaimed  Baculus,  "it  is  Procillus. 
At  them,  and  kill  the  cursed  barbarian  guards  !" 

Procillus  was  soon  loosed  from  his  guards  and  chains, 
glad  to  be  free,  but  weak  with  exhaustion.  A  Haeduan 
of  the  cavalry  gave  up  his  horse,  and  Procillus  was  sent 
to  Caesar,  who  was  as  much  delighted  to  see  Procillus 
as  he  was  to  be  victor  in  the  battle. 

As  Caius  and  Baculus,  in  the  long  pursuit,  reached 
the  Rhine,  they  saw  far  out  on  the  river  a  little  boat. 
In  it  was  a  single  huge  man,  struggling  toward  the 
opposite  shore.  Ever  and  anon,  he  was  forced  to  cease 
rowing  to  beat  off  drowning  wretches  who  tried  to 
climb  into  his  boat.  At  last  he  reached  the  shore, 
sprang  out,  and  disappeared  in  the  forest. 

"Who  is  that  man?"  asked  Caius  of  a  German 
prisoner  whom  a  Roman  close  at  hand  had  taken. 

"It  is  Ariovistus,"  he  answered. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE   SOLDIER  ASKS  A  QUESTION 

NIGHT  found  Caesar's  army  in  the  camp  which  they 
had  left  in  the  morning  to  fight  the  Germans.  The 
shrieks  and  moans  of  the  wounded  might  still  be  heard 
here  and  there  in  the  tents,  and  still  might  be  seen  the 
flaring  torches  of  the  camp  followers  and  soldiers' 
slaves  as  they  went  to  and  fro  over  the  battle  field, 
ever  pulling  and  searching  and  plundering  the  bodies  of 
the  slain.  The  loud  laugh,  the  rough  jest,  and  the  song 
of  victory,  all  bespoke  the  joy  that  rioted  in  the  Roman 
camp. 

Most  joyful  of  all,  perhaps,  were  the  Haeduans. 
They  had  seen  the  Germans,  their  cruel  oppressors, 
beaten,  and  they  had  the  glory  of  taking  part  in  the 
battle  that  had  destroyed  them.  They  were  now  a  free 
people  once  again. 

The  Romans  were  elated  at  having  beaten  an  enemy 
so  noted  for  courage,  and  they  were  delighted  with  the 
valuable  booty  that  had  fallen  into  their  hands.  There 
was  not  a  Roman  soldier  but  had  some  gold  or  silver 
ornament,  taken  from  the  body  of  a  German,  and  scarce 
a  Roman  but  held  one  or  more  German  prisoners  to 
sell  as  slaves  in  Italy. 

Sannio,  Baculus,  Procillus,  and  Caius  lay  at  ease  on 
their  cloaks  in  their  tent,  each  happy  in  his  owTn  way- 
Sannio,  because  of  the  extra  share  of  plunder  that  he 

no 


THE    SOLDIER   ASKS    A    QUESTION  III 

had  taken  from  the  body  of  a  German  chief;  Baculus, 
wounded  and  weary,  but  gratified  with  all  the  fighting 
a  day  would  hold ;  and  Procillus,  sick  and  sore,  but 
once  more  among  friends.  Caius  was  proud  because 
he  had  been  publicly  praised  for  his  bravery  by  Caesar, 
but  he  was  still  wondering  at  the  cruelty  and  heartless- 
ness  of  war.  To  the  simple,  kind-hearted  boy,  brought 
up  on  the  Italian  hills,  with  a  task  no  harsher  than  the 
tending  of  sheep,  the  day's  slaughter  seemed  a  bloody 
dream,  a  horrid  unreality. 

"Procillus,  tell  us  of  what  befell  you  among  the 
Germans,"  said  Baculus,  as  he  bound  a  cut  and  bathed 
it  with  oil. 

"Yes,"  Sannio  joined  in,  counting  over  and  toying 
with  the  trinkets  of  bronze  and  gold  he  had  taken.  "I 
thought  never  to  see  you  again  when  we  left  you  that 
day  in  the  barbarian  camp." 

"You  are  a  brave  soldier  to  leave  a  mate  like  that," 
said  Procillus. 

"By  Pollux,  did  you  want  me  to  storm  the  whole 
German  army?"  asked  Sannio. 

"No,"  said  Procillus.  "I  was  only  teasing.  You 
could  have  done  nothing  more  than  lose  your  life. 
As  to  what  happened,  it  is  rather  a  long  story.  More 
happened  in  a  short  time  than  you  would  think.  If  you 
fighting  men  can  remain  long  enough  awake,  I  will 
try  to  tell  you  all." 

"Yes,  tell  us,"  they  urged. 

"As  soon  as  Metius  and  I  were  in  the  camp,  we  were 
led  past  the  sacred  trees  upon  which  were  nailed  the 
heads  of  many  Gauls,  an  offering  to  Woden,  before 
Ariovistus.  He  no  sooner  saw  us  than  he  shouted 


112  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

aloud,  in  the  hearing  of  his  whole  army,  'Why  have 
you  come  into  my  presence  ?  To  spy  out  my  men  and 
strength  ? '  We  began  to  speak  to  give  him  Caesar's 
message,  but  with  horrid  oaths  and  fearful  threats 
he  forced  us  to  silence.  We  expected  instant  death,  so 
dreadful  were  his  gestures  and  countenance.  Then  he 
ordered  chains  fastened  upon  us,  and  we  were  dragged 
from  before  him. 

"But  he  soon  forgot  us,  I  suppose,  for  he  was  even 
then  making  ready  to  march  his  army  toward  Caesar. 
As  Metius  was  known  to  Ariovistus,  he  fared  better 
than  I,  and  his  chains  were  taken  off,  though  he  was 
kept  under  guard.  I  was  dragged  on  foot  by  four 
strong  men  the  entire  distance  of  the  march.  My 
limbs  were  cut  by  the  chains  and  dripped  blood  at 
every  step.  I  had  no  water  and  was  almost  starved. 

"When  the  Germans  at  last  camped  for  the  night, 
about  six  miles  from  Caesar's  army,  I  dropped  on  the 
ground,  nearly  dead  with  weariness  and  exhaustion. 
I  quickly  fell  into  a  feverish  sleep.  Soon  I  dreamed, 
and  it  seemed  a  beautiful  maiden  was  rescuing  me  from 
scorching  flames.  Then  a  soft  touch  that  was  real 
cooled  my  forehead  and  awoke  me.  In  the  half 
shadows,  just  apart  from  the  light  of  the  camp  fires,  a 
German  maiden  bent  above  me,  offering  me  a  horn  of 
water.  I  drank  greedily  the  cooling  draft.  With  a 
smile  she  left  me,  and  I  slept  again. 

"But  I  was  not  to  be  allowed  this  luxury;  for  I  was 
soon  dragged  up  by  a  big  warrior  and  carried  before  a 
sort  of  court  of  German  women.  It  is  the  custom  of 
the  Germans  to  consult  their  women  whenever  any 
important  business  is  to  be  undertaken,  and  the  women 


THE    SOLDIER   ASKS    A    QUESTION 


in  their  turn  cast  lots  or  try  omens.     The  Germans 
have  the  greatest  respect  for  their  women. 

"These    women    coolly    set    about    casting    lots    to 
find  out  if  the  gods  would  decree  that  I  should  be  burned 

at  once,  or  should  be  saved 
for  a  future  time.     Even 
as    they    began, 
droves    of    boys 


were  prodding  my 
body    with    sticks 


at  my  fate.  As  I 
knowtheir  language,  I  understood  all  that  they  said.  *  See 
the  big  fire  to  burn  you/  shouted  one  bull-necked  youth. 

"'That's  what  we  will  do  for  all  the  Romans  we  do 
not  kill  in  battle/  yelled  another. 

"'Yes,  we'll  cut  off  the  food  supplies  of  the  Romans, 
starve  them,  and  leave  not  one  alive/  shouted  yet 
another.  And  so  I  learned  what  they  meant  to  be 
my  fate  and  also  that  of  the  Roman  army. 


114  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Soon  all  was  ready  for  the  trial.  My  gaze  was 
fixed  on  the  quiet  face  of  the  maiden.  Just  before 
they  were  to  draw  lots  from  a  helmet  filled  with  beans 
of  different  colors,  I  saw  her  remove  the  helmet  from 
which  they  were  to  draw,  and  replace  it  with  another 
by  a  move  so  deft  and  swift  as  to  escape  all  notice. 
I  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of  this  action  at  once. 
But  as  the  lot  was  in  my  favor,  I  was  sure  she  had  placed 
a  helmet  of  beans  all  of  the  same  color." 

"What's  that?"  broke  in  Sannio,  starting  up,  for- 
getting to  play  with  his  plunder..  "Was  our  bold 
Procillus  made  a  double  captive,  fast  in  the  iron  chains 
of  the  enemy,  and  in  the  silken  bonds  of  Cupid  ?" 

"Oh,  be  quiet,"  snapped  Baculus.  "Didn't  you  get 
to  fight  any  of  them,  Procillus  ?" 

"Not  fairly,"  answered  Procillus.  "One  of  these 
women,  a  lean,  stooped,  wrinkled-faced  old  hag,  now 
stood  forth,  and  in  croaking  tones,  long  and  dolefully 
drawn  out,  wailed  to  the  men  the  decree  of  the  lots : 
'It  is  not  the  will  of  Woden,  Thor,  Friga,  and  all  the 
other  gods  that  dwell  in  the  bright  city  of  Asgard 
that  this  man,  our  foe,  shall  be  burned  this  night/ 

"Then  the  men  were  enraged,  and  a  great  angry  up- 
roar swelled  through  the  camp.  One  of  my  guards 
struck  me.  I  was  so  angered  that  I  hurled  myself  upon 
him,  and  slung  my  arm  chains  with  all  the  force  I  could. 
They  struck  on  his  head,  and  he  went  down,  bloody  and 
groaning.  But  he  was  quickly  up,  and  I  think  he 
would  have  run  me  through,  but  his  companions  laughed 
at  him,  and  said,  'Good  enough  for  you.  Now  don't 
take  advantage  of  a  man  loaded  with  chains,  even 
though  he  be  an  enemy.' 


THE    SOLDIER   ASKS    A   QUESTION  115 

"I  expected  that  they  would  kill  me  the  next  day, 
because  I  knew  we  were  so  near  Caesar's  army.  But 
they  did  not,  I  suppose,  because  they  were  so  sure  of  a 
victory.  'If  the  gods  are  unwilling  that  he  be  put  to 
death  now,  so  much  the  better.  We  shall  have  many 
of  his  fellows  to  go  with  him  after  we  beat  Caesar's 
army/  they  said." 

"Why  did  the  Germans  refuse  the  battle  offered 
them  the  next  day  ?"  asked  Caius. 

"Because  their  women  prophesied,  and  said  that  it 
was  not  the  will  of  the  gods  for  them  to  conquer  if  they 
fought  before  the  new  moon.  So  they  were  waiting 
for  the  moon  to  change,"  answered  Procillus. 

"Well,  Caesar  couldn't  change  the  moon  for  them, 
but  his  army  removed  the  light  from  thousands  of 
them,"  laughed  Sannio. 

"Did  you  see  the  maiden  again  ?"  asked  Caius,  inno- 
cently. 

"Here's  the  bold  youth  who  wants  to  know  more  of 
the  fair  maiden,"  laughed  Sannio  again. 

Caius  colored  deeply  and  said  nothing. 

"Yes,  I  saw  her  again,"  replied  Procillus.  "They 
cast  lots  twice  again  to  learn  if  I  should  be  burned. 
Twice  again  I  saw  the  maiden,  by  the  same  movement, 


save  me." 


"And  is  she  the  same  maiden  that  you  were  so 
determined  to  rescue  from  those  two  Roman  soldiers 
who  had  captured  her,  as  we  were  going  to  Caesar's 
tent  after  we  found  you  ?"  asked  Sannio. 

"Yes,"  returned  Procillus.  "She  had  saved  my  life, 
and  so  I  was  eager  to  save  her  when  I  found  her  in  the 
hands  of  the  soldiers.  I  have  learned  that  she  is  Hilda, 

STANDARD   BEARER  —  8 


Il6  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

the  daughter  of  Ariovistus.  She  was  most  dear  to  the 
old  barbarian  king,  and  it  was  at  the  risk  of  her  own 
life  that  she  was  so  kind  to  me.  She  is  now  kept 
among  the  hostages  in  the  camp,  under  the  care  of  the 
wives  of  the  Roman  officers,  who  have  dared  to  come  to 
Gaul  with  their  husbands.  Caesar  has  promised  me 
that  she  shall  be  sent  beyond  the  Rhine  to  her  kinsmen 
among  the  Germans." 

"So  you  expect  to  see  Hilda  again  ?"  asked  Sannio. 

"I  may/'  replied  Procillus.  "Now,  as  to  the  rest 
of  my  adventures,  you  already  know  them." 

And  then,  though  the  groans  and  shrieks  of  the 
wounded,  and  the  shouts  of  roving  bands  of  plunderers, 
and  the  call  of  the  sentries  still  broke  harshly  upon  the 
night,  the  friends  soon  slept  soundly. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   SOLDIER   IN  WINTER  QUARTERS 

THE  Roman  army  remained  here  for  three  days  for 
the  purpose  of  disposing  of  the  dead.  The  bodies  were 
piled  in  long  rows  and  their  arms  with  them.  Into 
the  mouth  of  each  was  placed  a  coin  for  Charon,  the 
ferryman  of  the  Styx.  The  lines  were  piled  with 
branches  of  oak  and  laurel.  On  the  third  day  Caesar 
publicly  eulogized  the  deeds  of  the  slain,  then  the  other 
soldiers  bewailed  and  lamented  them.  Next  the  bodies 
were  covered  over  with  fagots  and  burned.  The  ashes 
were  sprinkled  with  wine  and  placed  in  long  trenches 
and  covered  with  earth. 

The  thousands  of  German  bodies  lay  unburied.  At 
night  droves  of  snapping,  snarling  wolves  gorged  upon 
the  blackening  flesh,  sneaking  and  slinking  here  and 
there  like  ghostly  shadows.  The  morning  of  the 
second  day  brought  black  clouds  of  vultures  that  fed 
and  croaked  and  made  the  scene  too  horrid  for  words. 

As  Caesar  had  finished  two  great  wars  in  one  summer, 
he  now  determined  to  lead  his  army  into  quarters 
for  the  winter.  So  upon  the  fourth  day  after  the  battle, 
when  the  sickening  scent  and  revolting  scenes  of  the 
field  had  become  unbearable,  the  army  marched 
northward.  The  long  line,  undulating  like  the  billows 
of  the  sea,  wound  away  through  the  hills,  on  which  the 
green  of  the  trees  was  already  giving  place  to  the 
brilliant  hues  of  autumn. 

117 


Il8  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

After  several  days  of  march,  a  place  was  reached  in 
the  country  of  the  Sequanians,  designed  by  Caesar  as 
a  home  for  the  army  during  the  winter.  Here  Caesar 
placed  in  command  his  most  trusted  lieutenant, 
Labienus,  while  he  himself  with  a  small  retinue  set  off 
to  Cisalpine  Gaul  to  hold  the  courts  of  his  province. 

The  greater  number  of  the  young  friends  of  Caesar 
who  had  come  to  Gaul  for  adventures  now  left  for 
Rome,  not  caring  to  forego  the  gayeties  of  the  capital 
to  endure  the  rigors  of  a  Gallic  winter.  Most  de- 
lighted in  this  number  was  Lanius.  As  Caius  was  busy 
helping  to  build  the  log  huts  which  were  to  shelter 
the  soldiers  during  the  long  nights  of  winter,  he  saw 
Lanius  among  a  troop  of  those  passing  forth,  joy 
showing  on  every  feature.  "Come,  Caius,"  he  shouted 
as  he  reined  in  his  horse.  "You  had  best  go  with  me 
to  the  City.  There,  I  am  a  free  man  among  free  men. 
I  owe  no  man  and  shame  to  face  no  man.  I  own  three 
villas  there  and  much  money.  I  feed  twenty  crops, 
six  dogs,  and  a  couple  of  horses.  Come  with  me.  We 
will  have  pleasant  times  there  this  winter." 

"I  give  you  thanks,"  replied  Caius.  "I  care  not  to 
go.  I  remain  here  in  order  to  be  a  better  soldier  for 
next  summer's  campaign." 

"Every  man  to  his  taste,"  returned  Lanius.  "It 
will  be  too  dull  here  for  me.  There  will  be  games  and 
shows  and  wine  and  women,  all  sorts  of  pleasure  at 
Rome  for  those  who  will  take  —  and  as  for  me,  next 
summer  may  look  to  itself."  And  with  that,  he  dashed 
after  his  companions,  his  bright,  bordered  toga  fluttering 
in  the  breeze,  while  Caius  continued  laying  the  poles 
to  make  his  hut. 


THE    SOLDIER    IN   WINTER    QUARTERS  119 

"He  would  most  likely  poison  you,  anyway/'  grunted 
Sannio.  "I  have  heard  it  hinted  that  his  father  got 
his  wealth  by  murder  in  the  times  of  Sulla." 

Caius  soon  learned  that  winter  in  a  Roman  camp  was 
far  from  being  a  period  of  rest.  He  worked  day  after 
day  in  helping  to  build  a  high  wall  and  to  dig  a  deep, 
wide  ditch  about  the  camp.  Then,  too,  Labienus 
proved  himself  an  unrelenting  drillmaster.  Though 
it  was  customary  for  every  Roman  army  to  drill  each 
day  during  winter  under  long  sheds  built  for  the 
purpose,  Labienus  had  it  done  with  such  persistent 
thoroughness  that  Caesar  could  write  the  next  summer 
that  "the  men  understood  as  well  how  to  direct 
themselves  as  they  knew  how  to  take  orders  from  their 
commanders." 

Toward  the  last  of  the  winter,  it  was  necessary  to 
travel  farther  and  farther  from  the  camp  to  find  forage 
and  provision.  One  day  when  the  first  tender  green  of 
spring  was  softening  the  landscape,  Caius  was  sent  with 
some  twenty  other  soldiers  commanded  by  Baculus  to 
make  demand  for  supplies  wherever  they  could  be  found. 

This  search  took  the  party  beyond  the  territories  of 
the  Sequanians,  among  the  Senones.  Toward  night 
of  the  sixth  day  after  leaving  camp,  as  they  entered  a 
village,  they  saw  a  crowd  of  the  townsmen  collected 
about  three  or  four  huge  carts  to  each  of  which  were 
hitched  two  of  the  large,  white,  long-horned  oxen 
common  in  Gaul.  The  animals  stood  quietly  chewing 
their  cuds,  but  the  Gauls  seemed  much  interested  and 
rather  excited. 

As  the  Romans  oame  up,  they  perceived  that  the 
carts  were  those  of  a  number  of  Roman  traders  who 


120  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

were  carrying  a  load  of  Gallic  bacon  to  Massilia.  The 
inhabitants  of  the  village  had,  according  to  the  Gallic 
custom,  stopped  the  traders  to  ask  questions  as  to 
where  they  had  been  and  what  they  had  learned  and 
whom  they  had  seen  and  what  they  whom  they  had 
seen  had  told  them. 

The  Gauls  at  once  turned  their  attention  to  the 
soldiers,  fearlessly  gathered  about  them  when  they 
had  halted,  and  began  asking  questions. 

"Where  have  you  come  from?"  asked  a  Gaul  who 
seemed  to  be  a  leader. 

"We  have  come  from  the  Roman  camps  of  Caesar," 
answered  Baculus. 

"What  news  from  there  ?"  asked  the  Gaul. 

"All  goes  well,  friend,"  answered  Baculus,  "except 
provisions  for  Caesar's  army  grow  scarce.  Can  we 
depend  upon  the  people  of  this  noble  city  to  peaceably 
furnish  us  some  supplies  ?" 

The  Gaul  was  taken  somewhat  aback,  though  this 
very  request  was  what  he  had  reason  to  expect,  for 
news  of  the  foraging  of  the  Romans  had  spread  far  and 
wide,  long  earlier  in  the  winter. 

"That  will  have  to  be  decided  by  our  magistrates," 
replied  the  Gaul.  "  I  will  report  your  wants,  and  a 
meeting  will  be  called  to  answer  you.  Meanwhile,  our 
townspeople  will  feed  and  shelter  you  for  the  night." 

As  the  Senones  had  previously  made  peace  with 
Caesar,  Baculus  had  no  fear  of  spending  the  night  in 
the  town,  and  so  he  was  just  giving  orders  to  the  men 
to  disperse  to  the  various  houses,  when  Caius  felt 
himself  plucked  by  the  tunic.  He  turned  and  was 
surprised  to  recognize  the  old  merchant,  Matho. 


THE    SOLDIER   IN    WINTER   QUARTERS  121 

"Is  Caius,  the  young  soldier,  well  ?"  he  asked. 

"All   goes  well,"    replied   Caius.     "And   how  fares 
the  good  merchant  of  Ravenna  ?" 

"My  health  is 
good,"  returned  the 
merchant,  at 


the  same  time 
laying  his  finger 
on  his  lip  and 
pulling  Caius 
aside.  "Hush, 
and  come  a  little 
apart.  I  wish  to 

speak  with  you."  And  while  the  men  were  being  dis- 
posed of,  he  continued  rapidly  in  a  low  tone, 
is  trouble  abroad,  but  I  am  sure  it  is  useless  to  tell 
Baculus,  what  I  know,  for  he  thinks  he  and  Caesar  can 
overcome  any  difficulties  whatsoever.  It  were  not  wise 
to  scatter  this  handful  of  Romans  in  the  town,  for 
almost  the  whole  of  Gaul  is  now  plotting  against  Caesar. 
I  have  learned  that  an  embassy  of  Belgians  will  arrive 


122  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

in  this  town  in  a  day  or  two  for  the  purpose  of  persuad- 
ing these  people  to  join  in  the  conspiracy.  If  these 
Romans  are  separated  from  each  other,  it  is  likely 
enough  you  will  each  be  separated  from  his  head 
long  before  morning." 

Already  the  soldiers  were  moving  away  in  various 
directions  to  their  assigned  quarters.  Caius  rushed 
to  Baculus  and  rapidly  told  him  all  he  had  heard. 
"The  old  merchant,  Matho!"  snorted  Baculus.  "He 
of  the  Ravenna  inn  ?  He  always  finds  danger.  What 
if  these  Gauls  should  try  to  harm  us  ?  One  good 
Roman  soldier  can  put  to  flight  half  a  legion  of  Gauls." 

Caius  felt  the  rashness  of  this  view,  and  argued 
with  the  centurion,  even  against  the  rules  of  discipline. 

Baculus  tried  to  pretend  anger,  and  asked,  "Do  you 
know  the  first  and  last  lesson  a  Roman  soldier  must 
learn?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Caius.  "It  is  obedience,  and  I  am 
ready  to  yield  obedience,  but  I  am  sure  you  have  not 
thought  carefully  of  this  matter." 

"I  am  sure  you  have  not  thought  at  all,"  returned 
Baculus,  "else  you  would  not  stand  arguing  with  me 
instead  of  hastening  to  obey.  If  I  report  this  conduct 
to  Caesar,  your  career  as  a  soldier  will  be  speedily 
ended.  He  demands  absolute  obedience  to  officers 
from  every  man.  Nevertheless,  I  will  recall  the  men 
and  we  will  all  sleep  in  the  frosty  air  of  the  public 
square."  And  so  he  ordered  the  trumpeters  who  stood 
near  to  sound  a  recall. 

Baculus  placed  his  men  in  a  close  knot  and  set  a  watch 
of  only  one  sentry.  The  soldiers  knew  nothing  of  what 
the  merchant  had  told  Caius  and  soon  they  all  slept. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE   SOLDIER  LEARNS  OF  A  PLOT 

BUT  Caius  could  not  rest,  and  lay  long  awake.  He 
seemed  to  hear  a  stealthy  tread  over  all  the  town  as 
though  its  inhabitants  were  going  about  to  plot  the 
Romans'  death.  Once,  away  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
town,  he  heard  a  barking  of  dogs,  and  then  a  clamor  of 
voices.  After  a  time  all  was  still  again,  and  he  slept. 
But  not  long,  for  he  was  awakened  by  a  heavy  groan. 
Springing  to  his  feet,  he  saw  the  sentinel  fallen  on  his 
face,  writhing  and  kicking,  while  the  form  of  a  man 
leaped  away  from  him  and  ran  for  the  shelter  of  a  near-by 
house.  Caius  shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Then 
a  fearful  uproar  swelled  on  the  night  air,  and  from 
behind  the  house  where  they  had  massed  themselves, 
hundreds  of  townsmen  sprang  out  upon  the  little  Roman 
band.  As  the  soldiers  had  slept  armed,  they  quickly 
sprang  up  to  defend  themselves,  but  they  were  stupid 
with  sleep  and  stricken  with  surprise  and  the  terror  of 
the  unknown. 

"Steady,  men,  stand  firm,  and  let  them  have  your 
sword  points,"  shouted  Baculus,  as  he  stabbed  the 
nearest  Gaul. 

The  legionaries  made  a  great  effort  to  stand,  but  they 
were  quickly  rushed  backward  by  force  of  numbers. 
Four  or  five  Romans  were  cut  down,  and  though  for  each 
of  these  at  least  five  Gauls  lay  kicking  in  the  dust,  still 

123 


124  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

it  was   impossible   for  so   few  to   stand   against   such 
numbers. 

"Keep  together  and  retreat  slowly,"  Baculus  ordered, 
but  the  Gauls  pressed  up  more  and  more,  and  soon  the 
Romans  were  scattered  and  running  for  life  among  the 
huts  of  the  town. 

Caius  found  himself  surrounded,  and  seemingly  with 
little  chance  to  escape.  A  big  Gaul  had  almost  struck 
him  down  with  a  heavy  blow  on  the  head,  and  it  seemed 
to  him  he  was  spinning  around  like  a  top.  However, 
he  struck  out  boldly  at  the  nearest  of  his  enemies,  and 
by  good  fortune  disarmed  him.  Taking  quick  advan- 
tage of  this,  he  ran  into  the  man  with  such  force  as  to 
send  him  sprawling  on  the  ground,  while  he  himself 
dashed  straight  ahead,  not  knowing  where  he  went. 
He  was  rapidly  pursued,  but  he  soon  dodged,  into  the 
shadows  of  a  hut,  and  his  pursuers  passed  by  on  the 
farther  side  of  the  house.  He  stopped  and  stood  close 
in  a  corner,  waiting  and  listening. 

The  whole  place  was  a  tremor  with  the  barking  of 
dogs,  the  shouts  and  swift  running  of  men,  the  groans 
of  the  wounded,  the  screaming  of  women  and  children, 
and  a  thousand  other  noises  and  echoes  set  flying  on 
the  stillness  of  the  night.  Away  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  town,  Caius  heard  the  blare  of  the  Roman  tuba, 
and  he  knew  that  a  number  of  the  Roman  soldiers  had 
escaped  in  a  body  and  were  calling  to  any  who  were  lost 
or  scattered  to  come  to  them.  Then  he  heard  it  more 
faintly  and  he  realized  that  the  little  band  was  getting 
farther  away.  But  as  men  were  still  passing  near  him, 
he  feared  to  stir.  So  he  remained  quiet  in  his  place, 
waiting  for  the  chase  to  go  by. 


THE  SOLDIER  LEARNS  OF  A  PLOT        125 

Finally,  when  the  noise  had  nearly  subsided  and  he 
was  beginning  to  think  of  making  a  run  for  his  life, 
he  heard  men  enter  the  hut,  speaking  in  Gallic.  His 
hand  sought  his  sword  hilt,  but  it  was  not  there;  he 
had  dropped  it  in  his  dash  through  the  line  of  Gauls. 
He  was  helpless  and  defenseless.  Since  he  could  do 
nothing  else,  he  lay  still.  As  he  had  learned  to  under- 
stand many  of  the  dialects  of  the  Gallic  tongue,  he 
began  to  listen. 

"By  Tarann,  but  we  gave  them  a  scare  and  a  chase, 
didn't  we  ?"  said  one. 

"Yes,  but  this  night's  work  will  bring  Caesar's  army 
upon  us,"  said  another,  whose  voice  sounded  strangely 
familiar. 

"No,  Caesar  will  not  dare  to  lead  his  army  this  far 
into  Gaul,"  said  the  first  speaker.  "Even  if  he  should, 
did  not  these  Belgian  ambassadors  who  came  in  during 
the  night  say  that  the  Belgians  are  just  ready  to  send 
an  army  against  Caesar  ?  and  did  they  not  say  that  all 
Gaul  has  been  secretly  organized  against  the  Romans  ? 
and  if  so  be  the  case,  what  have  we  to  fear  ?  If  Caesar 
should  dare  to  lead  his  legions  all  these  hundreds  of 
miles,  we  should,  quicker  than  the  lightning  can 
flash,  cut  them  in  pieces." 

Caius  listened  intently  now  to  this  extravagant  talk, 
all  thought  of  escape  forgotten  in  the  hope  that  he  was 
learning  something  of  value  to  Caesar.  He  knew  the 
Proconsul  was  in  Cisalpine  Gaul,  holding  his  pro- 
vincial courts,  in  the  belief  that  all  Gaul  had  been 
pacified. 

"No,  you  do  not  know  these  Romans,"  urged  the 
familiar  voice.  "A  defeat  stirs  them  only  to  more 


126  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

determined  efforts.  This  town  will  suffer  for  this 
night's  work  before  Caesar  stops,  mark  me." 

"Yes,  but  I  tell  you  now  what  we  have  heretofore 
kept  secret  from  you,  for  our  people  thought  your  long 
stay  in  Italy  had  Romanized  you.  Listen :  all  Gaul 
has  conspired  with  these  Belgians  against  Rome. 
Caesar  will  speedily  be  driven  from  Gaul.  We  may 
even  march  against  great  Rome  herself  and  camp  on 
her  hills  as  did  our  ancestors  under  the  brave  old 
Brennus,  the  greatest  leader  in  the  world." 

"You  need  not  have  feared  me,"  said  the  familiar 
voice.  "I  was  born  in  this  town,  a  Gaul,  and  a  Gaul  I 
remain,  though  Gaul,  divided  as  it  always  is,  has  no 
chance  against  the  system  and  unity  of  Rome.  Well, 
I  see  I  can't  convince  you  of  your  folly,  and  you  are 
too  mean  and  stingy  to  bring  out  your  wretched  mead 
to  wet  a  starving  throat.  I'll  go  and  get  a  wink  of 
sleep  before  the  day  comes."  And  as  Caius  lay  closer 
in  his  corner  and  watched  the  man  come  out,  and 
swagger  away,  he  recognized  old  Eredox. 

Everywhere,  quiet  had  soon  fallen.  Then  Caius, 
gathering  up  all  his  courage,  slipped  quietly  along  in 
the  shadows  of  the  houses,  taking  as  near  as  he  could 
the  direction  in  which  he  had  heard  the  Roman  tuba. 
He  had  not  gone  far,  before  he  found  himself  obliged 
to  cross  a  narrow  street  in  order  to  continue  in  his 
direction.  In  making  a  swift  dash  across  in  the  dark- 
ness, he  stumbled  over  a  dead  body,  lost  his  footing, 
and  tumbled  heavily  forward  at  his  length  upon  the 
ground.  His  hand  fell  upon  a  long  Gallic  sword.  He 
grasped  it  gladly,  for  even  as  he  lay,  he  saw  running 
upon  him  a  stout,  armed  man,  as  Caius  thought,  a 


THE  SOLDIER  LEARNS  OF  A  PLOT 

Gaul  brought  from  a  neighboring  house  by  the  noise 

of  his   fall.     He  leaped   quickly   up,   and  thinking  it 

useless  to  run,  he  grasped  the  sword  hilt  in  both  his 

hands  and  swung  it  at  the  other's  head  with  all  his 

might,  and  so  stretched  him  out  on  the  ground.     Then 

taking  to   his   heels,  he   ran 

with    all   his    might   straight 

ahead,     he     did     not     know 

where   nor  how  far.      When 

weariness  at  last  forced  him 

to  halt,  he  was  in  a  forest 

of  oaks.   At  the  foot  of  one 

of  the  trees  he 

fell,  gasping 

and  panting 

for  breath. 

Birds  were 
chirpingand 
the  woods 
were  gray- 
ing with  the  dawn. 
The  young  soldier 
had  scarcely  begun 
to  breathe  with  any 
ease,  when  he  saw  through  the  dim  light,  at  a  little 
distance  away,  a  man  skulking  among  the  trees  as 
though  he  feared  to  be  seen.  Caius  quickly  rolled 
behind  the  trunk  of  a  giant  oak,  and  peered  at  the 
figure,  now  going  past  him  at  half  a  javelin's  cast. 
It  was  Baculus. 

Caius  leaped  up  and  ran  toward  the  centurion,  but 
Baculus  gave  him  one  wild  look,  and  took  to  his  heels, 


128  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

making  his  best  efforts  to  run.  However,  he  moved  but 
slowly,  winding  and  staggering  as  he  went.  Caius 
followed  more  rapidly,  calling  to  him. 

"By  Hercules,  it  is  Caius,"  exclaimed  he  under  his 
breath,  as  Caius  overtook  him,  seized  his  arm,  and 
whirled  him  around.  "I  thought  a  Gaul  or  a  ghost 
had  me." 

"What  are  you  doing  and  why  do  you  stagger  so, 
Baculus  ?  "  asked  Caius,  in  wonder. 

"Well,  when  our  little  body  got  away  and  stopped 
in  those  woods  yonder,  I  found  you  were  among  the 
missing,"  explained  Baculus.  "I  feared  you  were  lost 
or  dead  and  I  went  back  to  that  cursed  town  to  look 
for  you.  I  sneaked  through  all  the  place,  hunting,  and 
just  as  I  found  you,  and  before  I  could  speak,  you  swung 
up  your  new  Gallic  sword  and  gave  me  a  whack  over 
the  head  with  it.  I  would  have  been  a  dead  man  had 
it  not  been  for  my  good  steel  helmet.  As  it  was  I  lay 
senseless  for  a  time,  I  know  not  how  long.  Like  a  brave 
soldier  you  ran  away  and  left  me,  and  here  I  am  stagger- 
ing like  a  winebibber.  But  I  don't  much  blame  you, 
even  if  you  had  known  it  was  I  whom  you  swung  at 
so  stoutly,"  he  went  on  gloomily.  "You  tried  to  warn 
me  and  I  wouldn't  listen.  It  would  have  served  me 
right  if  a  Gaul  had  split  my  head  with  one  of  those  big 
long  swords.  Now  I  am  in  a  pretty  fix  to  report  to 
Labienus,  and  much  more  to  report  to  Caesar." 

Caius  now  began  to  understand.  It  was  Baculus  he 
had  struck  down  when  he  stumbled  over  the  dead  Gaul. 
He  remembered  now  that  he  had  vaguely  wondered 
as  he  ran  why  a  Gallic  helmet  of  bronze  had  rung  under 
his  blow  like  a  Roman  steel  one. 


THE  SOLDIER  LEARNS  OF  A  PLOT 

"Well,  Baculus,"  he  said,  "I  am  glad  we  are  alive. 
True,  it  was  bad  enough  we  were  tricked  by  the  towns- 
men, and  bad  enough  that  we  ran  like  rabbits,  and  bad 
enough  that  I  lost  my  sword,  and  worse  that  in  my 
fright  I  tried  to  kill  my  best  friend.  But  perhaps  you 
will  agree  with  me  that  none  of  it  is  as  bad  as  it  might 
be.  Besides,  while  you  thought  I  was  lost,  I  was  hid 
by  a  hut  hearing  one  Gaul  tell  another  of  the  conspiracy 
which  is  being  formed  against  Caesar."  And  Caius 
briefly  related  what  he  had  heard. 

"By  the  legion's  eagles,"  exclaimed  Baculus. 
"Caesar  will  think  it  more  worth  to  know  this  than  to 
have  all  the  provisions  in  the  whole  town.  We  must 
hurry  to  camp  and  report  this  matter  to  Labienus." 
And  even  as  he  spoke  he  led  Caius  away,  down  a  narrow 
hollow  between  the  hills,  and  soon  they  came  to  where 
a  sorry  remnant  of  the  legionaries  were  awaiting  the 
return  of  Baculus. 

Caius  recognized  his  old  friend,  the  merchant  Matho, 
sitting  somewhat  apart  from  the  soldiers,  with  gloomy 
downcast  visage. 

"I  have  lost  all  my  goods  and  wagons,  friend  Caius," 
he  exclaimed  in  reply  to  the  inquiring  look  of  the  young 
soldier.  "And  I  am  now  an  old  man.  I  shall  starve 
in  my  age  and  helplessness."  And  he  began  to  be- 
moan his  fortune. 

"Never  mind,  my  good  fellow,"  said  Baculus.  "  You 
will  never  be  the  worse.  Come  now,  and  bethink 
yourself.  Is  there  not  some  near  route  by  which  we 
may  reach  the  camp  of  Labienus  ?" 

There  was,  and  guided  by  the  old  merchant,  the  lit- 
tle party  set  off  at  once,  traveling  at  their  best  speed. 


130  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

They  soon  found  a  number  of  Gallic  ponies  tethered 
in  a  meadow  near  a  small  village.  The  soldiers  caught 
these,  and,  mounted  horseback,  moved  more  rapidly. 
The  old  merchant,  leading  the  way,  sat  his  horse  but 
awkwardly,  and  as  they  went  on,  he  alternately  be- 
moaned the  loss  of  his  goods  and  the  discomfort  of 
travel  on  horseback,  while  Baculus  never  ceased  to 
express  the  hope  that  an  occasion  would  speedily 
arise  when  he  might  blot  out  the  memory  of  his  rashness 
by  some  brave  deed. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  SOLDIER  IN  BATTLE  WITH  THE  NERVIANS 

As  the  sun  rose  dim  over  the  foggy  marsh  lands  of 
Belgium,  the  tuba  blared  its  call  to  march,  the  legions 
formed  in  columns  of  maniples,  the  signal  to  advance 
sounded,  and  the  long  line  swayed  forward. 

Caius  stepped  with  pride  into  his  old  place  near 
Baculus.  He  had  only  the  night  before  overtaken 
the  army;  for,  after  carrying  to  Caesar,  in  Cisalpine 
Gaul,  the  message  concerning  the  conspiracy  of  the 
Gauls  which  Labienus  had  sent  him  with,  Caius  had  been 
ordered  by  Caesar  to  go  to  Bibracte  on  an  errand  which 
consumed  several  days.  This  errand  done,  he  had 
hastened  northward  after  the  army.  He  had  reached 
it  too  late  for  the  siege  of  Noviodunum  and  several 
other  engagements  with  the  Suessiones  and  Bellovaci. 

"There  is  likely  to  be  something  to  do  to-day," 
said  Baculus  to  Caius,  as  the  army  swung  briskly  along. 
"We  have  been  marching  for  several  days  with  each 
legion's  baggage  following  next  to  it.  But  note  now 
that  the  six  old  legions  come  first  before  even  a  single 
baggage  wagon.  The  change  shows  that  Caesar  ex- 
pects something.  Indeed,  a  Gaul  told  me  last  night 
that  we  were  then  not  more  than  a  day's  march 
from  the  Nervians.  Well,  I  am  glad.  May  the  gods 
grant  me  a  chance  to  make  good  my  ill  fortune  in  that 
country." 

STANDARD    BEARER 9  13! 


132  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"And  I  hope  I  may  make  amends  for  the  blow  I  laid 
on  your  big  old  head,"  said  Caius. 

As  the  army  moved  on  northward  toward  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Nervians,  Baculus  told  Caius  how  Caesar 
had  hastened  to  Gaul  after  Caius  had  carried  the  infor- 
mation they  had  gained  by  their  midsadventure. 
The  centurion  told  how  Caesar  had  quickly  led  the  army 
against  the  Belgian  tribes  and  how  the  Remians  had 
submitted  without  a  blow,  and  how  Caesar  had  defeated 
the  great  army  of  Belgians  who  had  attacked  his  allies 
in  the  walled  town  of  Bibrax,  and  how  the  Suessiones 
had  surrendered  to  Caesar  because  they  were  alarmed 
by  the  quickness  with  which  Caesar  built  fortifications 
to  attack  their  town,  because  they  thought  that  the 
gods  must  be  aiding  men  who  could  work  so  rapidly. 
"I  tell  you  Caesar  strikes  swiftly,"  went  on  Baculus. 
"That  is  one  of  his  favorite  ways.  When  another 
commander  would  keep  some  plan  a  secret  for  a  month, 
Caesar  makes  no  effort  to  keep  the  secret,  but  carries 
the  plan  out  before  it  can  be  understood.  But  from  all 
accounts,  the  Nervians,  whom  we  are  likely  to  fight 
next,  will  prove  more  difficult  to  rout  than  any  foes 
Caesar  has  yet  met  in  Gaul.  The  Remians  say  the 
Nervians  are  the  hardiest  and  the  bravest  of  all  the 
Belgians.  The  Nervians  were  the  only  nation  of  all 
Gaul  who  were  able  to  prevent  the  hordes  of  Cimbrians 
and  Teutons  from  entering  their  territories."  And 
so  much  talk  passed  throughout  the  army,  each  soldier 
knowing  there  was  likely  to  be  hard  fighting  soon  with  a 
tough  enemy,  but  each  so  seasoned  in  the  two  years  of 
service  under  Caesar  that  this  was  what  he  most  desired. 

The  day's  march  had  been  slow  and  toilsome.     For, 


THE    SOLDIER    IN    BATTLE    WITH   THE    NERVIANS        133 

besides  the  marshy  nature  of  the  lower  ground  and 
the  roughness  of  the  higher,  the  Nervians  were  accus- 
tomed to  train  young  trees  and  vines  to  grow  into  a 
thick  hedge;  and  by  bending  down  the  young  trees 
and  intertwining  them,  an  almost  impassable  wall  was 
formed.  The  Romans  had  to  cut  passages  through 
these.  About  two  hours  past  midday,  the  Romans 
came  to  the  brow  of  a  long  ridge,  overlooking  a  little 
valley,  beyond  which  rose  another  parallel  ridge 
crowned  with  a  thick  forest.  Down  the  valley  between 
these  ridges  wandered  the  Sabis  River,  a  small  and 
shallow  stream. 

The  Romans  halted  and  began  to  fortify  on  the  slope 
of  the  hill  the  camp  which  had  been  measured  off  by 
the  scouts  and  centurions  sent  ahead  for  the  purpose. 

As  the  Twelfth  legion  came  to  a  halt,  Caius  saw  a 
small  advance  body  of  Roman  cavalry  beyond  the  river, 
attacking  a  few  horsemen  of  the  enemy.  The  latter 
did  not  stay  to  fight,  but  retreated  into  the  woods  on 
the  top  of  the  ridge.  As  the  Romans  did  not  follow, 
the  Gallic  horsemen  soon  charged  upon  them  again,  and 
then  again  retreated  into  the  woods  as  the  Haeduan 
cavalry  of  the  Romans  advanced  upon  them.  These 
movements  were  continued  for  some  time. 

Meanwhile,  the  Roman  legionaries  began  to  be  busy 
building  the  camp.  But  the  men  had  scarcely  broken 
ranks  and  piled  their  arms  and  baggage  for  the  purpose 
when  a  mighty  uproar  of  voices,  the  clashing  of  weapons, 
and  the  rush  and  tramp  of  thousands  of  running  men 
broke  upon  the  Romans'  ears  from  across  the  little 
valley. 

Looking  up  from  where  he  was  helping  to  place  a 


134  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

heavy  timber  in  the  works,  Caius  saw  that  a  large  body 
of  Romans  had  attacked  the  Nervians.  Then  he  saw 
pouring  in  a  stream  from  the  woods  on  the  top  of  the 
opposite  hill,  thousands  and  thousands  of  Belgians, 
pursuing  with  incredible  speed  and  fury  the  Roman 
cavalry,  which  soon  turned  in  headlong  flight. 

Soon  the  youth  heard  the  signal  for  the  soldiers  to 
collect  to  their  standards  sounded  by  Caesar's  trumpet- 
ers, and  the  hoarse  notes  were  immediately  taken  up 
and  repeated  throughout  the  lines  with  mad  haste. 
This  was  quickly  followed  by  the  signal  to  array  in 
battle  order,  and  the  tuba  blared  the  battle  call.  The 
Romans  came  running  from  all  directions,  stopping 
at  whatever  standards  they  first  reached  in  order  to 
lose  no  time  from  fighting.  Almost  at  once  the  Romans 
were  roughly  arrayed,  each  soldier  taking  position  as 
best  he  could.  The  Ninth  and  Tenth  legions  were  on 
the  left  wing.  The  Eighth  and  Eleventh  were  in  the 
center,  and  the  Seventh  and  Twelfth  on  the  right. 

By  good  fortune,  Caius  reached  his  old  and  regular 
place  just  as  Baculus  in  his  position  at  the  head  of 
the  legion  gave  the  order  to  the  eagle  bearer  to  stand 
firm  and  hold  the  eagle  high.  Looking  hastily  down 
the  lines,  Caius  saw  that  the  legion  was  lacking  many 
of  its  men  who  had  not  yet  returned  from  the  work. 
Those  who  had  succeeded  in  getting  into  line  were 
mostly  without  their  helmets,  having  had  time  to 
snatch  only  their  shields  and  swords  from  where  they 
had  been  piled. 

Even  while  he  was  taking  this  hasty  glance,  the 
Haeduan  horsemen  of  Caesar  dashed  terror  stricken, 
fleeing  for  life,  to  the  right  of  the  Roman  army,  disap- 


THE    SOLDIER    IN    BATTLE    WITH   THE    NERVIANS        135 

pearing  from  view  behind  a  dense  hedge  of  trees  and 
vines,  and  closely  followed  by  one  of  the  three  divisions 
into  which  the  Belgian  army  had  quickly  separated 
itself. 

There  was  hardly  time  to  glimpse  these  happenings 
before  the  enemy  had  crossed  the  Sabis,  climbed  the 
hill,  and  was  upon  the  entire  Roman  line.  The  Ner- 
vians  fell  upon  the  Twelfth  legion  in  a  solid  mass,  led 
by  their  king,  Boduagnotus,  a  great,  long-bearded, 
fair-haired  giant,  clad  in  heavy  mail,  and  armed  with  a 
long  double-edged  sword.  With  hoarse  guttural  shouts 
the  Nervians  pressed  upon  the  Romans,  front  and  flank. 
There  was  no  time  for  casting  javelins,  and  the  battle 
was  joined  hand  to  hand,  cut  and  thrust. 

The  weight  of  the  Nervian  onslaught  drove  the 
Romans  into  a  close-packed  mass.  Caius  found  himself 
stunned  and  almost  crushed,  and  blows  from  the 
Nervian  long  swords  falling  about  him  so  fast  that  he 
could  scarcely  stand.  He  had  drawn  his  sword,  but 
had  no  room  to  use  it.  The  legionary  to  his  right,  a 
stout  veteran  of  other  wars,  with  a  great  heave  and 
surge,  cleared  a  small  space,  and  in  a  flash  had  stabbed 
two  of  the  Nervians,  but  this  act  had  given  more  room 
for  the  wielding  of  the  enemies'  long  swords.  Three 
or  four  of  them  instantly  crashed  on  the  legionary's 
head  and  shoulders  with  such  force  as  to  split  his  head 
in  twain,  and  his  shoulders  and  arms  fell  from  his  body. 
He  crumbled  to  the  ground  and  was  quickly  trampled 
and  crushed  under  foot.  Into  the  space  thus  momen- 
tarily cleared,  Caius  was  thrust  by  the  press  from  the 
rear.  He  glimpsed  a -tall,  well-built  youth  of  about 
his  own  age,  raging  and  roaring,  springing  upon  him 


136 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


and  aiming  blows  at  his  head.     Caius  had  only  time 

to  partly  cover  himself  before  he  was  almost  beaten 

down    by    his    antagonist's    crushing    blows.     But    he 

recovered   himself   a   little, 

and  as  the  Nervian  youth 

exposed  himself  for  another 

swing,  Caius's  sword  sought 

his    side,    a    ruddy   stream 

dyed   the  white   flesh,  and 

he  fell.  • 


"By  Hercules,  well  done  !"  And  Caius,  turning  for 
a  moment,  saw  Baculus  beaten  to  his  knees  by  King 
Boduagnotus,  but  the  old  centurion  was  still  valiantly 
defending  himself  from  the  blows  falling  on  his  head. 


THE    SOLDIER   IN    BATTLE    WITH   THE    NERVIANS        137 

Caius  now  perceived  that  every  one  of  the  five  men 
in  the  line  between  his  place  and  that  of  Baculus, 
including  the  standard  bearer,  had  fallen.  He  leaped 
to  the  aid  of  Baculus,  while  the  press  and  surge  and 
crush  of  panting,  perspiring,  bleeding  men  swayed  the 
whole  mass  back  and  forth. 

"Caesar,  Caesar,  Caesar  Imperator  !  "  now  arose  the 
shouts  of  the  soldiers.  Even  at  the  moment,  Caesar 
himself,  in  his  scarlet  cloak,  rushed  between  the  Seventh 
and  the  Twelfth  legions  to  the  front. 

"Stand  firm,  fellow  soldiers,  and  remember  your 
courage  and  success  in  former  battles.  Loosen  your 
ranks  to  give  room  for  the  use  of  your  swords.  Now, 
press  forward,  and  strike,"  he  was  shouting  in  loud 
clear  tones,  at  the  same  time  cutting,  thrusting,  leaping, 
and  defending  himself  with  the  utmost  skill. 

The  effect  on  the  legionaries  was  instant.  The 
strong  and  uninjured  pressed  forward  more  stoutly, 
the  weak  took  heart,  the  wounded  endeavored  to  rise, 
those  who  had  retreated  came  forward  again,  and  all 
fought  with  such  courage  and  renewed  vigor  that  the 
enemy  began  to  be  checked. 

Caius  had  at  once  snatched  up  the  eagle  and  raised 
it  in  place,  and  also  covered  Baculus  with  his  shield. 
The  old  centurion  under  this  cover  struggled  to  gain 
his  feet.  "O  Mars,  grant  me  the  strength  to  fight  till 
they  fly,"1  he  gasped,  and  then  fell  again. 

Boduagnotus  had  now  ceased  his  attack  on  Baculus. 
But  Baculus  was  disappointed  in  his  hope  of  fighting 
the  king,  for  the  Romans  now,  in  steady  ranks,  began  to 
press  the  Nervians  back,  and  Boduagnotus  with  a  shout 
of  defiance  rattling  in  his  throat  fell  by  another  hand. 


138  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Caesar  hurried  away  to  encourage  the  Seventh 
legion. 

The  battle  was  by  no  means  ended.  The  Nervians 
in  their  desperation  fought  fiercely  and  tenaciously. 
Each  Roman,  feeling  himself  in  Caesar's  presence, 
desired  to  do  something  more  brave  than  any  other,  and 
so  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost. 

The  ground  was  already  strewn  thick  with  dead. 
The  long  lines  of  Nervians  stood  upon  heaps  of  corpses 
and  fought  as  from  a  rampart.  When  their  first  line 
had  been  cut  down  by  the  Romans,  the  next  foremost 
rank  climbed  upon  the  dead  mass  and  fell  fighting  with 
the  same  reckless  desperation. 

And  so  the  battle  raged.  The  Roman  short  swords 
continued  to  work  back  and  forth  like  the  shuttles  of  a 
loom,  seeking  the  sinewy  flesh  of  the  barbarians,  letting 
forth  blood  and  vitals;  the  Roman  javelins  from  the 
rear  fell  on  the  heads  of  the  Nervians,  crushing  their 
skulls,  piercing  faces,  throats,  and  breasts,  —  all  made  a 
veritable  shambles. 

The  Nervians  stood  their  ground,  wielded  their  heavy 
swords,  and  wrenched  from  the  quivering  bodies  of  their 
friends  and  brothers  the  Roman  javelins,  and  furiously 
hurled  them  back  upon  the  mailed  mass  of  the  legions. 
And  steadily  the  heaping  rows  of  dead  rose  higher 
until  only  a  miserable  handful  of  the  Nervians  re- 
mained alive.  Then,  at  last,  they  broke  and  fled. 

Meanwhile,  Caius  had  held  the  eagle  aloft  and  pro- 
tected Baculus  with  the  aid  of  some  three  or  four 
legionaries  that  Baculus  summoned  to  the  defense  of 
Caius  and  the  eagle.  When  at  last  Caius  was  free 
to  look  about,  he  saw  on  both  slopes  of  the  valley 


THE    SOLDIER    IN    BATTLE    WITH   THE    NERVIANS        139 

Nervians  fleeing  and  Romans  pursuing.  Here  was  a 
little  group  still  resisting,  there  a  single  combat;  in  one 
place  a  body  of  Nervians  entangled  in  their  own  care- 
fully built  hedges  was  being  hacked  to  pieces,  in  another 
a  handful  of  Romans  was  being  hewed  and  split  head 
to  heel  by  the  swinging  swords  of  a  larger  body  of 
Nervian  horsemen.  Everywhere  the  dead  littered 
the  ground,  and  where  the  fighting  had  been  fiercest, 
lay  thick-heaped  windrows  of  huge  golden-haired 
bodies. 

As  the  setting  sun  threw  its  last  glimmering  rays  over 
the  little  valley,  it  lighted  the  Romans  completing 
their  camps,  despoiling  the  dead,  and  carrying  away 
their  wounded. 

Caius  tenderly  lifted  Baculus  and  the  eagle  and  bore 
them  into  the  camp. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE   SOLDIER   BEFRIENDS  A  NERVIAN  YOUTH 

ON  the  next  morning,  Caesar  called  all  the  soldiers 
to  an  assembly  and  praised  them  generally  for  their 
courage  and  fortitude.  Many  of  the  officers  he  praised 
by  name. 

"Procillus,"  said  he,  "though  born  a  Gaul,  has 
demeaned  himself  as  a  true  Roman  in  that  he  checked 
the  flight  of  our  cavalry  under  Dumnorix,  that  had 
fled  so  ignominiously ;  and  thus  helped  to  bring  victory 
out  of  defeat.  The  centurion,  Publius  Sextius  Baculus, 
I  commend  most  heartily.  I  found  him  fallen  with 
mam'  wounds  in  the  thickest  of  the  fighting,  but  still 
leaning  upon  his  shield  and  battling  stoutly.  Sannio 
showed  a  cool  head,  and  helped  to  win  by  his  courage 
and  example."  And  so  he  praised  others  in  degree 
varying  with  their  deeds. 

"As  to  Caius  Volcatius  Tullus,  since  he  raised  and 
sustained  the  eagle  of  the  Twelfth  legion  when  it  and 
its  bearer  had  fallen,  I  now  promote  him  to  be  aquilifer 
in  the  Tenth  legion.  You  all,  fellow  soldiers,  know 
the  change  from  one  legion  to  another  is  not  according 
to  custom  in  the  Roman  army.  But  this  youth  de- 
serves much  of  me.  I  know  of  no  greater  honor  that  I 
can  bestow  upon  one  who  has  proved  himself  so  worthy 
than  to  make  him  aquilifer,  and  let  him  be  bearer  of 
the  sacred  eagle,  the  emblem  of  Jove,  in  my  beloved 

140 


THE    SOLDIER    BEFRIENDS    A    NERVIAN   YOUTH      14! 

Tenth  legion.  Caius,  I  promote  and  commend  you. 
May  you  never  let  the  eagle  fall." 

A  great  shout  of  applause  rose,  for  the  youth  had 
come  to  be  a  favorite  with  great  numbers  of  the  legion- 
aries. However,  a  few  of  the  older  soldiers  of  the 
Tenth  grumbled  somewhat  because  of  the  promotion 
over  themselves  of  a  younger  man  from  a  newer  legion. 

Next,  the  spoil  was  divided.  The  old  merchant, 
Matho,  was  present  and  received  a  liberal  share  in 
reward  for  his  efforts  to  aid  the  cause  of  Caesar  by 
giving  information.  The  old  man  was  happy  once 
more. 

During  the  day,  Caius  walked  into  the  woods,  away 
from  the  sights  of  the  battle  field.  He  sat  after  a  time 
resting,  for  the  exertions  of  the  yesterday  had  wearied 
his  whole  body.  As  he  thus  sat,  there  passed  through 
his  mind  proud  thoughts  of  his  new  honor,  of  the 
bountiful  share  of  spoils  he  had  received,  and  of  the 
help  the  latter  would  be  to  his  mother.  Then  he 
thought  of  Simmias  and  Chloe  and  Titus  and  the  dog 
and  the  sheep.  So  thinking,  he  grew  lonely  despite 
the  singing  of  the  birds  in  the  trees,  and  the  blossoms 
of  the  spring  everywhere.  He  suddenly  realized  that 
he  had  not  even  Baculus  with  him  to  talk  to. 

He  shook  off  his  Jonely  thoughts  and  started  to  return 
to  camp.  But  hearing  the  shouts  of  soldiers,  he  looked 
and  saw,  passing  through  the  woods  at  a  javelin's 
throw,  a  band  of  Roman  legionaries.  As  they  were 
moving  rather  slowly,  he  thought  there  must  be  some- 
thing unusual.  So  he  approached  and  learned  that 
the  soldiers  were  bringing  to  Caesar  a  number  of  old 
men,  women,  and  children  of  those  Nervians  who  had 


142 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


been  hidden  in  the  marshes  and  fen  lands.  They 
were  to  be  hostages,  pledges  to  Caesar  that  the  Nervians 
would  be  no  further  trouble  to  him. 

Caius  joined  the  party.     In  crossing  a  bog,  he  came 
upon  a  youth  of  slender  form  and  good  features  who 


— 


had  fallen.  A  soldier  was  beating  the  unfortunate 
youth  to  force  him  to  rise  and  go  along  with  the  others. 
The  youth  was  making  the  greatest  efforts  but  could  not 
rise.  Caius  remonstrated  with  the  soldier,  but  the 
latter,  with  an  oath,  told  Caius  to  go  about  his  own 


THE    SOLDIER    BEFRIENDS    A    NERVIAN   YOUTH      143 

business,  at  the  same  time  raising  his  hand  for  another 
blow.  Caius  warded  it  off  the  youth,  and  the  soldier 
then  struck  at  Caius,  but  Quintus  Pedius,  the  legatus 
who  was  in  command  of  the  party,  came  up  and  ordered 
the  soldier  to  desist  and  march  on. 

As  the  young  Nervian  now  looked  up,  Caius  saw  a 
tear  in  his  eye,  and  his  heart  was  touched  with  pity. 
Caius  aided  the  youth  to  his  feet,  and  then  supporting 
him,  they  went  on  among  the  others  to  the  camp. 

"I  give  you  thanks,  noble  Roman,"  said  the  young 
Nervian,  in  broken  Latin.  "I  was  wounded  in  the 
battle  yesterday,  and,  besides,  I  am  faint  with  hunger, 
and  so  had  fallen." 

"It  is  nothing,"  said  Caius,  looking  closely  at  his 
companion,  and  wondering  at  his  unusually  delicate 
features  and  small  hands.  "But  how  comes  it," 
he  went  on,  "that  you  wear  the  dress  of  a  Nervian 
and  yet  speak  the  tongue  of  a  Roman  ?" 

"Oh,  I  learned  a  little  of  your  language  from  a 
Roman  trader  when  I  was  small,"  replied  the  other. 
"I  am  a  Nervian,  as  you  see,  and  I  fear  I  am  to  be  held 
as  a  hostage." 

And  so  Caius  walked  on,  supporting  the  youth  until 
they  were  at  the  entrance  of  the  Roman  camp.  While 
they  were  waiting  to  be  admitted,  the  rearmost  portion 
of  the  company  passed  up.  Caius,  standing  with  the 
youth,  became  aware  of  the  presence  of  the  stout 
Nervian  whom  he  had  fought  in  the  battle  the  day 
before.  Caius  had  thought  him  dead,  and  looking  now 
more  closely,  he  perceived  that  the  Nervian  had  many 
wounds  and  bruises.  Caius  started  with  surprise  at 
the  glare  of  bitterest  hatred  which  the  Nervian 


144  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

warrior  was  darting  upon  him.  But  he  ceased  to 
wonder  as  soon  as  he  reflected  that  every  Roman  might 
expect  only  hatred  from  a  Nervian,  especially  from  one 
who  had  been  personally  worsted  in  combat. 

When  the  party  at  last  marched  into  camp,  Caius 
remained  outside.  The  wounded  young  Nervian, 
having  recovered  sufficient  strength  to  walk  alone, 
stopped  to  say  "Farewell"  to  Caius,  and  spoke  with 
such  gentleness  that  Caius  somehow  wished  he  had 
gone  on  with  him. 

After  staying  in  Caesar's  camp  four  or  five  days, 
till  Caesar  was  ready  to  move  his  army,  these  hostages 
were  to  be  sent  away  for  safe  keeping.  Caius  had 
meanwhile  seen  his  Nervian  friend  only  at  a  distance. 
He  determined  to  have  a  last  word  with  the  youth. 
So  he  waited  near  the  camp  gate  where  the  party 
was  to  pass  out. 

At  last  the  hostages  were  marched  forth,  with  sad 
faces  and  unwilling  steps.  The  Nervian  saw  Caius 
and  stopped  a  minute  to  thank  him.  "Farewell, 
kind  Roman,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice.  "We  meet  no 
more.  You  were  good  to  me,  and  I  shall  not  forget." 

Something  in  the  tone,  the  movement,  the  smile, 
opened  the  Roman's  eyes.  "A  maiden,"  he  muttered 
as  he  gazed  after  her.  "Worse  still,  a  Gallic  maiden." 

And  then  with  set  face  and  swift  steps  he  turned  away 
to  where  the  blare  of  the  tuba  was  calling  the  legion- 
aries to  make  ready  for  majch. 


BOOK 
THREE 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  is  LOST  SIGHT  OF  IN  BATTLE 


146 


CHAPTER  I 
THE   STANDARD  BEARER  CARRIES  A  MESSAGE 

SOME  months  later,  in  the  afternoon  of  a  spring  day, 
Caius,  followed  by  some  twenty  or  thirty  horsemen, 
rode  rapidly  into  Luca,  a  town  of  considerable  size  in 
Northern  Italy.  He  was  weary  and  dust  covered.  It 
was  now  twelve  days  he  had  ridden  with  only  few  and 
short  rests,  from  Labienus  and  the  Roman  army 
quartered  in  the  country  of  the  Sequanian  Gauls.  He 
bore  important  letters  from  Labienus  to  Caesar,  relative 
to  a  fresh  conspiracy  which  spread  apace  throughout 
all  Gaul. 

As  he  passed  along,  the  youth  was  struck  with  sur- 
prise at  the  number  of  soldiers,  traders,  petty  officials, 
and  plainly  clad  citizens  and  laborers  that  thronged  the 
narrow  streets.  He  halted  long  enough  to  ask  a  soldier 
where  Caesar  was  lodged. 

"Hard  by  the  forum,"  replied  the  soldier.  "You 
must  be  newly  arrived  from  a  distance  not  to  know 
where  the  Proconsul  of  Gaul  lodges." 

Caius  deigned  no  reply,  and  was  just  spurring  for- 
ward, when  the  crowd  through  which  he  was  now 
forced  to  push  his  way  with  difficulty,  opened  up, 
soldiers  and  citizens  removing  their  head  coverings, 
and  bowing  respectfully  to  a  procession  which  was 
approaching.  This  movement  of  the  throng  showed 
to  him  a  man  wearing  a  toga  with  a  broad  purple 
stripe.  He  was  borne  by  slaves  in  a  chair,  and  was 

STANDARD    BEARER IO  147 


148  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

preceded  by  six  lictors,  one  after  another  in  a  row. 
They  were  loudly  but  solemnly  shouting,  "Make  way 
for  the  tribune,  the  tribune  Caius  Trebonius  approaches." 

The  youth  was  just  pulling  his  horse  to  one  side  in 
order  to  pass  when  one  of  the  lictors  who  had  now  come 
even  with  him  and  his  company,  roughly  laid  hand  on 
his  bridle,  and  commanded  him  to  dismount.  Feeling 
the  importance  of  his  message  and  the  need  for  haste, 
Caius  spurred  his  horse,  and  it  leaped  forward.  But 
he  was  quickly  stopped  again  by  the  command  of  a 
lictor. 

"Dismount,"  commanded  the  lictor,  "and  show 
respect  to  the  dignity  of  a  tribune  of  Rome." 

The  chair  of  the  tribune  had  now  come  up,  and  he 
began  to  question  the  lictor.  "This  rude  soldier  dares 
to  ride  breakneck  speed  past  you,  and  will  not  dis- 
mount," explained  the  lictor. 

"Why  show  you  such  lack  of  respect  to  the  dignity 
of  a  Roman  tribune,  my  worthy  man?"  gravely  in- 
quired the  tribune. 

"Sir,  I  am  but  a  soldier  from  Gaul,  not  used  to  the 
customs  of  the  city,"  replied  Caius.  "I  meant  no 
disrespect.  Besides,  I  am  hot  with  haste  to  bear  im- 
portant letters  to  Caesar.  I  pray  you  will  allow  me  to 
proceed." 

The  tribune's  manner  at  once  changed.  "If  that  be 
the  case,  I  beg  your  forgiveness  and  urge  you  to  go 
on  at  once.  I  also  trust  that  I  may  have  the  pleasure 
of  a  talk  with  you  during  your  stay  at  Luca.  You 
will  find  me  at  the  house  of  Cornelius,  the  praetor 
of  the  city.  Pray  come  to  see  me  there."  And  with  a 
gracious  smile,  he  waved  Caius  a  farewell. 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER    CARRIES    A   MESSAGE       149 

Soon  the  young  soldier  reached  the  forum.  He  found 
it  crowded  with  all  manner  of  folk.  The  rostra  were 
covered  with  the  various  products  of  Gaul.  Here  a 
Roman  merchant  examined  a  mass  of  gold  or  bronze 
brought  from  the  mines  of  Aquitanian  Gaul,  and  there 
another  looked  with  care  at  a  stack  of  salted  hams  of 
swine.  In  another  place  a  trader  tested  the  strength 
of  some  Gallic  cloth  of  linen  which  was  on  exhibition, 
and  next  to  him,  a  Roman  knight  was  admiring  a 
suit  of  chain  mail  forged  by  the  Gauls  of  Gergovia. 
Near  by,  a  group  of  Romans,  rustic  in  appearance, 
but  plainly  prosperous,  examined  a  yoke  of  huge 
wide-horned,  Gallic  oxen,  hitched  to  a  heavy  Gallic 
cart.  And  on  all  sides  the  various  products  of  Gaul 
were  being  viewed  by  Roman  farmers,  soldiers,  artisans, 
merchants,  magistrates,  and  senators. 

"By  Ceres,"  he  heard  one  farmer  say  to  another, 
"we  have  thought  all  the  time  that  the  Gauls  were 
a  poor  nation,  without  any  of  the  things  that  make 
Italy  so  fair  and  rich." 

"But  we  are  mistaken,"  said  a  wine  merchant.  '"I 
find  over  there  on  the  left  a  sort  of  mead  made  from 
wheat  and  honey.  Its  taste  makes  a  man  wish  he  had 
a  neck  as  long  as  a  javelin.  The  Gauls  have  many 
things  that  are  worth  the  while." 

Caius  pressed  now  in  the  direction  which  had  been 
indicated  to  him  as  being  the  lodging  of  Caesar.  He  had 
gone  but  a  few  steps,  however,  when  he  saw  the  Pro- 
consul in  company  with  a  number  of  distinguished-look- 
ing Roman  senators,  clad  in  their  purple-bordered  togas. 

Caesar  saw  the  young  soldier  advancing.  He 
motioned  Caius  to  him  and  asked  his  errand. 


150  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"I  bring  letters  from  Labienus,"  replied  Caius.  And 
he  handed  them  to  the  commander. 

"Very  well,  come  to  my  quarters  at  the  third  hour, 
and  tell  me  the  news,"  said  Caesar.  "I  am  now 
occupied." 

Caius,  after  having  ordered  his  attendants  to  quarters 
indicated  by  one  of  Caesar's  officers,  mingled  with  the 
throng  in  the  forum.  He  soon  learned  from  the  talk 
everywhere  that  the  products  of  Gaul  were  on  exhibi- 
tion here  to  show  the  Roman  nobles  the  importance  of 
the  country  and  the  real  value  of  the  victories  Caesar 
was  winning  in  Gaul.  Every  one  knew  in  a  general 
way  that  Caesar  was  here  to  meet  the  rich  Crassus 
and  the  famous  Pompey,  relative  to  some  important 
step  that  meant  much  to  Rome.  But  neither  Caius 
nor  those  to  whom  he  listened  knew  what  or  how. 

Caius  found  that  he  had  an  hour  before  the  time  at 
which  he  was  to  go  to  Caesar's  quarters.  As  he  was 
already  acquainted  with  such  sights  as  he  saw  in  the 
forum,  he  wearied  of  them  and  pushed  his  way  down 
one  of  the  streets.  He  had  gone  some  distance  when 
he  found  that  he  had  passed  out  of  the  crowd  and  was 
in  a  part  of  the  town  where  but  few  people  were  to  be 
seen.  He  had  barely  realized  this  when  from  behind 
him  he  heard  a  scream  and  a  clatter  of  hoofs.  He 
whirled  and  saw  a  pair  of  maddened  horses  dashing 
down  the  street  in  his  direction,  while  the  chariot  to 
which  they  were  attached  rattled  wildly  behind  them. 
Boys  yelled  and  dogs  barked,  and  thus  the  animals' 
fright  was  increased. 

Just  as  the  young  soldier  was  stepping  aside  to  be 
well  out  of  the  way,  he  saw  the  face  of  a  girl  rise  above 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER    CARRIES    A   MESSAGE 


/ 


the  side  of  the  chariot.  She  was  making  a  wild  effort 
to  clutch  the  dragging  reins.  In  a  flash  he  saw  that  she 
was  helpless  and  likely  to  be  killed.  Just  at  that 

moment,  a  baker  ran  from  his 
shop,  and  attempted  to  stop  the 
horses,    but    succeeded    only   in 
scaring   them    to    the    opposite 
side  of  the  street.     Caius   saw 
that  a  few  steps  further  and  the 
chariot  must  be  dashed  against 
the  jutting  corner  of   a   house. 
With  a  great  bound,  he  sprang 
out  and  grasped  the  reins  and 
the   mane   of  one    of    the    ani- 
mals.      He 
was       con- 
scious of  be- 
ing knocked 
and  bruised 
and    finally 
of    a    stop. 
And      then 
he  knew  no 
more. 

When  he 
came  to  his 
senses,  he 
lay  on  a 
couch  in  a 

rich  apartment.  He  began  to  speak,  but  he  was 
checked  by  a  hand  gently  laid  on  his  mouth.  As  he 
opened  his  eyes,  he  saw  the  face  of  the  girl  who  had 


152  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

been  in  the  chariot.  She  was  rather  tall,  had  brown 
eyes  of  wondrous  luster,  a  tender  mouth  with  full  lips, 
glossy  black  hair,  and  a  complexion  of  that  transparent 
darkness  which  is  lighter  than  any  fairness.  She 
seemed  kind,  yet  her  features  and  expression  were 
withal  haughty  and  dignified. 

"The  surgeon  says  you  are  only  stunned  a  little 
and  will  be  able  to  walk  in  a  short  time,"  she  said. 
"My  name  is  Trebonia.  I  am  sure  you  saved  my  life. 
A  crowd  of  rollicking,  roistering,  young  patricians 
here  from  Rome  stopped  my  chariot,  and  tried  to  kiss 
me.  I  begged  them  to  let  me  go,  but  they  would  not. 
Before  they  knew  what  I  was  about,  I  slashed  the 
horse  and  he  dashed  away  and  ran  over  one  or  two  of 
them.  But  I  got  part  of  a  bad  bargain,  for  my  driver 
fell  out  and  dropped  the  reins  on  the  ground.  And 
that  is  how  you  came  to  save  my  life.  I  thank  you, 
and  my  father  will  thank  you,  too." 

"That  is  strange,"  said  Caius.  "Are  young  men 
allowed  to  loiter  about  the  streets  of  Roman  towns  and 
attack  women  and  girls  in  that  manner?" 

"Why,  that  is  their  most  choice  amusement," 
laughed  the  girl.  "Even  at  Rome,  the  young  nobles 
consider  it  fair  sport  to  disguise  themselves  and  go 
about  the  streets,  especially  at  night,  overturning  the 
chairs  of  unarmed  men,  kissing  the  women,  and  some- 
times even  carrying  them  away." 

Just  then  Trebonius,  the  tribune  whom  he  had  met 
shortly  before,  entered  the  apartment. 

"Welcome,  my  young  soldier  friend,"  he  said.  "I 
had  no  dream  of  so  soon  having  the  honor  of  entertain- 
ing you.  I  am  also  indebted  to  you  for  saving  my 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER    CARRIES    A   MESSAGE       153 

daughter's  life.  I  pray  you  will  rest  quietly  at  this 
house  till  you  are  recovered/' 

"I  give  you  thanks,  sir,  but  I  can  decide  nothing 
until  I  see  Caesar.  I  fear  it  is  already  past  the  time  at 
which  I  was  to  go  to  Caesar's,"  replied  Caius.  "I 
must  go  at  once." 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  send  you  to  Caesar,"  said  Tre- 
bonius.  It  was  so  arranged,  and  as  Caius  passed  out, 
he  saw  the  girl  in  the  atrium.  And  she  smiled  on  the 
tall  young  soldier  with  something  more  than  gratitude. 

When  he  entered  the  room  where  Caesar  was,  the 
Proconsul  greeted  him  heartily.  "How  have  you  fared 
in  Gaul  since  going  into  winter  quarters  ? " 

"I  have  been  well,  and  I  hope  you  have  been  also," 
replied  Caius.  "But  I  have  just  now  had  a  hurt  that 
has  kept  me  from  coming  to  you  as  soon  as  I  ought. 
I  beg  your  forgiveness  for  the  delay." 

"You  are  forgiven,  Caius,"  said  he.  "I  hope  your 
hurt  was  not  serious." 

"Not  at  all  serious,"  said  Caius.  "I  am  well  even 
now.  I  was  stunned  and  knocked  senseless  by  a 
running  horse.  I  was  carried  to  the  house  of  the 
tribune  Trebonius,  and  he  sent  me  here  after  my  senses 
returned.  I  am  quite  over  it." 

"That  is  fortunate,"  returned  Caesar.  "You  are 
also  fortunate  to  be  here  at  this  time.  You  may  see 
something  of  the  people  and  the  customs  of  our  great 
city,  Rome.  You  may  see  senators,  quaestors,  praetors, 
knights,  lictors,  and  what  not.  It  is  all  very  different 
from  our  camp  life  in  Gaul.  I  have  seen  very  little  of 
the  like  myself  for  the  past  few  years.  By  the  way, 
Trebonius  has  a  beautiful  daughter.  A  marriage  with 


154  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

her  might  be  a  wise  thing,  as  the  family  is  influential 
at  Rome.  Did  you  see  her  ? " 

"I  saw  her,  but  I  do  not  yet  think  of  a  marriage," 
replied  Caius.  "But  I  thank  you  for  your  thought 
of  me." 

"Well,  perhaps  you  will  see  more  of  Trebonia," 
continued  the  Proconsul.  "Her  father  is  not  now  a 
tribune.  But  he  loves  power  and  appearance,  and  so 
keeps  up  the  guise  of  a  tribune.  He  will  perhaps  go  to 
Gaul  with  me  as  a  lieutenant." 

Caius  made  no  answer. 

"Perhaps  you  would  be  interested  to  see  Rome 
itself  while  you  are  so  near  it,"  Caesar  continued.  "Or 
perhaps  you  would  like  to  visit  your  mother." 

Then  a  great  longing  came  into  the  youth's  heart, 
and  the  desire  to  go  home  shone  clear  on  his  face  for 
a  moment. 

But  he  restrained  his  feelings,  and  answered:  "No; 
I  shall  not  go.  My  future  lies  in  Gaul." 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HAS  A  GOOD  SUPPER 

CAIUS  was  to  wait  two  days  at  Luca  to  rest.  On  the 
night  of  the  second  day,  Caesar  furnished  a  great  feast 
for  such  Romans  of  note  or  importance  as  were  in  the 
town.  Caius  was  bidden  by  Caesar.  "You  may  see 
something  of  the  customs  of  the  city,"  he  said  to  the 
youth.  "Besides,  you  may  see  Trebonia's  bright  eyes 
again." 

Caius  flushed,  for  the  beauty  of  the  girl  had  appealed 
to  him,  and,  too,  she  had  been  kind  when  he  was  hurt. 
So  he  found  himself  eager  to  attend  the  feast. 

When  he  arrived,  he  entered  the  great  hall  of  the 
house.  In  the  crowd  gathered  there,  he  saw  Lanius 
talking  with  Trebonia,  but  she  seemed  anxious  to 
leave  him. 

"Why,  here  is  my  rescuer,"  she  cried  when  she  saw 
Caius.  She  immediately  turned  away  from  Lanius  to 
him.  "I  am  so  glad  to  see  you.  I  feared  you  had 
gone  back  to  fight  those  horrible  Gauls.  Come, 
Caesar  has  promised  that  you  shall  recline  at  the  feast 
with  me.  You  shall  tell  me  many  stories  of  your 
heroic  deeds." 

She  laughed  with  unfeigned  gladness,  and  Caius 
followed  her  to  the  large  hall  in  the  second  story  of 
the  house. 

Caesar  had  invited  many  guests,  and,  in  order  to  have 


156 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


room,  the  tables  had  been  placed  about  all  sides  of 
the  apartment  except  one.  Already  many  persons 
were  in  their  places.  Caesar  himself  reclined  at  the 
head  of  the  tables,  and  on  the  same  couch  with  him 


were  Pompey  and  Crassus.  A  number  of  Roman 
senators  and  lesser  dignitaries  were  present.  Some 
of  them  had  brought  their  wives  and  daughters  with 
them  from  Rome. 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HAS    A   GOOD    SUPPER     157 

To  the  eyes  of  Caius,  accustomed  only  to  the  rude 
camp  and  the  army,  the  noble-looking  men  and  the 
beautiful  women,  in  the  bright  lights  of  the  richly 
furnished  room,  seemed  a  picture  of  unsurpassable 
splendor.  He  was  half  bewildered,  and  scarcely  knew 
what  to  do.  But  Trebonia,  still  talking,  led  him  to  the 
couch  to  which  they  had  been  appointed. 

"Welcome,  Caius/'  called  Caesar  from  his  place. 
"This  looks  little  enough  like  the  meals  we  bolt  in  our 
tents  in  Gaul.  Take  your  place  with  fair  Trebonia, 
and  may  you  feast  with  gladness,  and  forget  the  hard- 
ships of  our  camp  life." 

A  quick  glance  at  the  Proconsul  showed  the  young 
soldier  the  position  he  must  take  on  the  couch.  He 
reclined  at  its  head  on  the  left  side  with  his  shoulders 
raised  on  his  left  arm  and  supported  by  great  cushions 
of  feathers.  On  the  same  couch,  Trebonia  reclined  in 
such  manner  that  her  head  was  even  with  his  breast, 
and  her  shoulders  were  also  supported  by  cushions. 

"Who  is  that  slant-headed  man  over  there  on  the 
other  side  of  the  room  opposite  us  ?"  whispered  Tre- 
bonia as  they  bathed  their  hands  in  the  basins  brought 
by  a  servant.  "I  do  believe  he  is  one  of  the  ruffians 
who  attacked  my  chariot  yesterday." 

"That  is  Lanius,  one  of  Caesar's  followers  in  Gaul," 
answered  Caius.  "I  saw  you  talk  with  him.  I 
thought  you  knew  him." 

"I  do  not,"  she  said.  "He  was  speaking  with  me 
when  you  came,  but  I  do  not  know  him.  He  is  an  im- 
pudent man." 

But  now  slaves  were  passing  and  placing  on  the  head 
of  each  guest  a  garland  of  roses  and  lilies,  and  close 


158  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

behind  them  others  followed,  anointing  their  heads  with 
sweet-smelling  spikenard,  while  the  soft  strains  of 
flutes  floated  into  the  room. 

"Let  us  pray  the  gods,  friends,"  said  Caesar.  "It 
is  not  fit  that  we  should  forget  the  gods  of  our  fathers." 
And  he  poured  out  a  libation  of  rich  Falernian  wine  on 
the  tesselated  floor,  and  called  briefly  on  the  gods  of 
Rome  to  grant  joy,  protection,  and  guidance. 

Meanwhile,  the  senator  Coelius,  on  a  couch  near  to 
that  of  Caius  and  Trebonia,  was  muttering  to  himself. 
"Little  it  is  that  Caesar  believes  in  the  old  gods  of 
Rome  or  any  other  gods  but  himself.  I  wish  I  could 
see  which  is  to  be  the  stronger,  he  or  this  Pompey  who 
looks  so  solemn  and  great.  I  believe  that  Caesar  means 
to  make  Trebonius  one  of  his  lieutenants.  I  have 
asked  for  the  same  office." 

But  just  then  the  libations  and  prayers  were  ended, 
silence  ensued  for  a  moment,  and  Coelius  was  near  to 
being  left  talking  alone. 

"He  is  very  jealous  of  my  father,"  whispered  Tre- 
bonia, in  explanation  to  Caius.  "He  now  fears  my 
father  is  to  be  given  an  office  in  Gaul  which  he  desires 
for  himself.  That  is  well  enough,  but  it  is  strange  he 
can  never  learn  that  he  cannot  by  any  means  ever  be 
the  equal  of  Trebonius." 

The  slaves  now  brought  food.  Eggs  and  sweetened 
wine  were  served,  and  all  appetites  were  sharpened 
except  those  of  Caius  and  Trebonia.  They  seemed 
pleased  only  when  they  looked  into  each  other's  eyes. 

Then  peacocks,  pheasants,  guinea  hens,  thrushes, 
and  sausages  were  served  in  leisurely  succession. 
Next,  a  great  boar  stuffed  with  a  seasoned  mixture 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HAS    A   GOOD    SUPPER     159 

of  other  meats  and  roasted  whole,  was  brought  in. 
The  guests  ate  and  drank  and  grew  hilarious. 

But  Caius  heard  only  snatches  of  the  talk  of  Caesar, 
Pompey,  Crassus,  and  others  of  the  senators  and 
officials.  He  listened  only  to  Trebonia,  and  forgot 
Gaul,  and  battles,  and  Caesar,  too,  until  she  spoke  of  him. 

"Your  Proconsul,  Caesar,  must  be  the  greatest  Roman 
alive,"  she  said,  after  a  time.  "Why,  the  senate  has 
decreed  two  great  thanksgivings  at  Rome  in  honor  of 
the  victories  he  has  won  in  Gaul.  One  of  fifteen  days, 
and  one  of  twenty  days.  Such  great  honor  was  never 
voted  any  Roman  before.  But  I  was  glad,  for  every- 
body forgave  each  other  after  the  manner  of  thanks- 
giving times.  Why,  Crispilla,  one  of  my  friends  who 
had  a  grudge  against  Publia  for  having  brighter  eyes 
than  herself,  forgave  her  the  crime.  And  would  you 
believe  it  ?  She  even  kissed  her  at  one  of  the  great 
festivals  and  continued  her  forgiveness  for  a  full  week 
after  the  thanksgiving  was  over.  Don't  you  think 
that  remarkable  ?" 

"I  do  not  know,"  answered  Caius,  awkwardly.  "I 
know  little  of  such  things.  Tell  me  more  of  the  thanks- 
givings and  what  is  done  at  Rome." 

"I  will  if  you  wish  it,"  she  said.  "But  first  I  wish 
you  would  make  your  friend,  or  Caesar's,  that  Lanius, 
leave  off  staring  so  hard  at  me.  It  frightens  me." 

Caius  had  been  oblivious  of  the  look  of  hate  and  envy 
Lanius  was  darting  upon  them,  but  now  he  perceived 
it.  With  a  flush  of  long-repressed  anger  against  him, 
Caius,  forgetful  of  all  else,  started  up  with  the  half- 
formed  intention  of  choking  his  enemy.  But  Trebonia 
pulled  him  back. 


160  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Come,"  she  said.  "I  was  only  joking.  Now  see 
what  you  have  done  !  You  have  upset  a  dish  of  your 
bread,  and  it  has  fallen  on  the  floor." 

"Sweep  the  floor  here,  slave,"  called  Caius.  "My 
bread  has  fallen  on  it.' 

"No,  no,  you  must  not  do  that,"  cried  Trebonia. 
"That  would  bring  you  ill  luck,  don't  you  know  it  ? 
I  will  pick  it  up  and  place  it  on  the  table,  and  you  must 
not  brush  those  crumbs  away,  else  you  will  offend  the 
household  deities." 

Caius  fumbled  awkwardly,  forgetful  of  all  omens  he 
had  ever  known. 

"Come,  get  that  savage  frown  off  your  face," 
she  pleaded  with  mock  severity.  "I  was  only  teasing. 
I  do  not  wish  that  poor  man  who  stares  so  to  be  killed. 
Anyway,  he  smiles  and  laughs,  now.  I  believe  he  is 
not  dangerous." 

And  Caius  was  enraged  almost  beyond  endurance 
to  see  that  Lanius  smiled  and  talked  with  his  com- 
panions, while  they  looked  meaningly  in  his  direction, 
evidently  highly  amused. 

"Listen  now,"  he  heard  Trebonia  saying.  "I  will 
tell  you  of  the  great  thanksgivings  at  Rome.  The 
images  of  all  the  gods  are  crowned  with  garlands  of 
the  most  beautiful  flowers  and  their  heads  are  anointed 
with  richest  perfumes.  Their  altars  are  wreathed  with 
laurel,  olive,  and  myrtle.  All  the  temples  are  thrown 
open,  and  the  prisons  are  emptied  and  the  prisoners 
go  free  and  glad.  No  work  is  done,  every  house  in  the 
city  is  thrown  open,  food  and  wine  are  given  in  plenty 
to  all  comers,  law  courts  are  closed,  and  all  give  thanks 
to  the  gods.  Great  bands  of  beautiful  boys  and 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HAS    A   GOOD    SUPPER     l6l 

maidens  wreathed  with  flowers  march  and  sing  and 
dance  in  the  streets.  Oh  !  it  is  all  so  pretty  and  sweet. 
I  wish  you  could  see  Rome  at  a  thanksgiving.  But  I 
am  sure  you  will,  for,  of  course,  you  mean  to  come 
to  Rome  when  Caesar  has  his  triumph.  That  is  the 
greatest  time.  I  have  heard  my  mother  tell  of  see- 
ing triumphs.  Will  you  not  come  then,  Caius  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  will,"  said  Caius,  with  emphasis.  Influenced 
by  the  scene,  the  wine,  Trebonia's  eyes  and  beauty, 
the  description  she  had  given,  he  was  ready  to  promise 
her  anything.  And  thus  she  talked  and  smiled,  and 
Caius  looked  and  listened,  and  grew  more  and  more 
forgetful  of  all  else  save  Trebonia. 

But  now  the  slaves  brought  huge  baskets  of  fruits. 

"Oh,  I  am  so  sorry,"  cried  Trebonia.  "Here  come 
the  apples,  and  that  is  the  last  of  the  feast.  We  have 
gone  from  the  egg  to  the  apple.  Be  careful,  now,  and 
do  not  rise  from  the  table  till  all  have  finished.  That  is 
a  bad  omen  and  might  cause  your  departure  from  life. 
I  will  burn  the  bread  you  dropped  in  order  to  propi- 
tiate the  gods  of  this  household,  so  that  you  may  not 
come  by  ill  luck  in  that  way." 

The  flute  players  now  struck  a  more  lively  air,  and 
the  players  and  buffoons  who  had  been  busy  during 
the  meal  endeavored  to  outdo  all  their  previous  efforts. 
But  even  now  Caius  and  Trebonia  were  oblivious  to 
the  entertainments  and  could  only  talk  and  look  at 
each  other.  At  a  signal  from  Caesar,  all  rose  from  the 
table  together,  and  began  to  pass  from  the  room. 

"Farewell,  Caius,"  said  the  girl,  in  low  pleading 
tones.  "Won't  you  come  to  Rome,  some  time  ?" 

"Yes,  if  you  say  for  me  to  come,  I  will  do  so." 


l62  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Come  soon  then,"  she  said,  and  she  was  gone. 

Left  standing  alone,  forgetful  of  everything  save. the 
girl  and  what  she  had  said  and  looked,  Caius  was  re- 
called to  himself  by  a  hand  laid  on  his  shoulder.  "I 
do  believe  my  little  hint  is  being  taken  in  earnest," 
said  Caesar.  "Well,  she  is  a  beautiful  girl,  and  she 
would  give  you  influence  at  Rome  if  you  claimed  her 
as  your  wife.  I  shall  ask  Trebonius  to  become  my 
lieutenant  in  Gaul,  and  perhaps  you  may  see  her  again 
before  long.  But  enough  of  that  for  the  present.  Take 
some  rest  now,  for  at  daylight  I  wish  you  to  be  at  my 
tent  with  your  attendants,  ready  to  set  out  on  the 
return  to  Gaul  with  dispatches  for  Labienus." 

As  Caius  passed  along  a  dark  and  deserted  street 
on  his  way  to  his  lodging,  two  men  sprang  out  upon 
him.  But  just  at  that  moment  a  window  above  them 
was  opened,  letting  out  a  dim  light  and  a  flood  of  slops 
from  a  barrel  in  the  hands  of  the  occupants  of  the 
house.  He  had  barely  braced  himself,  ready  to  fight, 
when  his  attackers  were  overwhelmed  with  the  thick 
mass  of  ill-smelling  stuff,  so  that  though  the  light  fell 
full  upon  them,  they  were  so  besmirched,  that  he  could 
not  clearly  recognize  either  of  them  as  they  stumbled 
blindly  away,  snorting  and  blowing  their  noses  and 
cursing  their  dirty  luck. 

"It  is  fortunate  for  me  that  the  people  of  the  city 
empty  their  house  slops  in  the  streets,"  he  said.  "But 
unfortunate  that  they  poured  it  on  so  thick  that  I 
could  not  tell  who  were  my  friends." 

Nevertheless,  he  had  a  shrewd  guess  that  he  knew 
who  the  two  were. 

In  his  quarters,  he  tried  to  rest.     But  as  though  the 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HAS   A   GOOD    SUPPER     163 

vision  of  Trebonia  lay  in  his  eyes  and  was  too  delicious 
to  close  them  upon,  he  slept  not  a  wink.  He  rolled 
from  side  to  side,  recalling  her  every  lightest  smile, 
gesture,  or  word,  living  it  all  over  and  over  again. 

At  the  first  light  of  the  day,  he  set  off  to  bear  return 
dispatches  to  Labienus. 

On  reaching  the  winter  quarters  in  Gaul,  Caius  was 
surprised  to  find  Titus  there.  He  had  grown  stouter 
and  thicker  than  ever,  and  his  face  showed  no  sign  of 
his  temper  having  become  any  the  milder. 

"How  come  you  here,  Titus?"  exclaimed  Caius. 
"Have  you  left  the  sheep  alone  to  be  lost  ?" 

"Do  you  think  I  intended  to  stay  and  watch  your 
sheep  all  my  days  ?"  said  Titus,  doggedly.  "I  mean  to 
be  a  gladiator  or  a  soldier.  So  here  I  am.  My  next 
brother,  Marcus,  is  keeping  your  sheep.  He  is  dumb, 
for  a  wolf  once  got  the  first  look  at  him.  But  he  can 
guard  your  sheep  as  well  as  I  can  keep  them.  Here  is 
a  letter  for  you." 

Caius  broke  the  seal  and  read,  eagerly  and  hungrily  : 

Camilla  to  her  son  Caius : 

I  trust  that  you  are  well  and  happy.  I  and 
Simmias  and  Chloe  are  well.  The  sheep  and  olives  have 
not  prospered,  but  we  have  not  suffered.  Titus  grew  more 
and  more  restless  and  wanted  to  come  to  ike  army.  Aid 
him  to  a  place  in  the  ranks  if  you  can.  His  brother  keeps 
our  sheep.  I  shall  hope  to  see  you  when  you  can  well  be 
spared.  But  I  pray  you  will  not  let  your  love  for  me  draw 
you  away  from  the  army  in  such  a  way  that  you  may  lose 
any  opportunity  to  advance  your  own  fortunes  or  to  retrieve 
those  of  the  family.  "  Come  home  with  your  shield  or  on 

STANDARD   BEARER II 


164  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

it."       Simmias  and  Chloe  beg  to  be  remembered.       You 
know  I  love  you  with  all  my  heart. 

Fare  thee  well. 

Trebonius  came  to  the  army  in  Gaul  as  Caesar's 
lieutenant,  and  Trebonia  came  with  him.  Caius  saw 
her  often.  And  a  whole  winter  had  passed  before  he 
ceased  to  think  of  her,  even  when  he  looked  at  her 
beautiful  face.  For  he  had  seen  that  she  could  be  as 
kind  to  others,  even  to  Lanius,  as  to  himself. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  OF  A  DISTANT  LAND 

ALONG  a  low  sandy  stretch  of  beach,  facing  the  ocean, 
on  a  day  in  the  late  summer  of  the  fourth  year  of 
Caesar's  proconsulship  in  Gaul,  there  stood  in  groups,  or 


paced  singly,  numbers  of  legionaries,  centurions,  stand- 
ard bearers,  tribunes,  lieutenants,  and  other  officers 
of  the  Proconsul's  army.  A  stiff  breeze  flapped  and 

165 


l66  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

fluttered  the  loose  folds  of  their  togas  and  the  crests  of 
their  helmets  out  to  seaward.  At  the  distance  of  an 
arrow's  flight,  on  the  high,  white-crested  waves,  rode  a 
Roman  fleet  of  war  vessels,  extending  for  more  than  a 
mile  along  the  shore,  in  well-ordered  rank  and  file. 
The  sun  was  just  dropping  behind  the  waves  of  this 
Great  Western  Sea  and  tingeing  with  colors  of  the  rain- 
bow the  sandy  beach,  the  crashing  surf,  the  fleet,  and  a 
bank  of  low-lying  clouds  to  the  northward.  On  the 
land  side,  upon  the  flank  of  a  hill  sloping  seaward,  stood 
the  friendly  ramparts  of  a  strongly  entrenched  camp 
in  which  lay  the  Roman  army. 

In  one  of  the  groups  on  the  beach,  stood  Baculus, 
Sannio,  Titus,  Caius,  old  Matho,  the  merchant,  and 
two  or  three  others  more  or  less  bound  to  them  by  ties 
of  friendship. 

"I  am  glad  all  the  baggage  is  loaded  upon  those 
water  traps,  though  I  like  not  the  thought  of  sea  travel, 
and  much  less  do  I  like  the  idea  of  sea  fighting,"  said 
Baculus,  glancing  out  toward  the  triremes  rising  and 
falling  roughly  with  the  roll  of  the  surf.  "I  like  least 
of  all  this  voyage  to  Britain,"  he  grumbled.  "I  have 
always  heard  that  it  is  a  land  of  fierce  savages,  and  they 
do  say  that  it  is  clear  away  on  the  edge  of  the  world, 
where  one  may  drop  off  and  fall  down,  down,  down  to 
nowhere." 

"I  have  always  heard  that  it  is  near  the  land  of  the 
Hyperboreans,"  said  Sannio,  "and  if  that  be  true,  I 
have  a  fear  that  booty  will  be  scarce,  even  though  we 
should  conquer  them  all.  Besides,  Coprax,  my  Gallic 
slave,  told  me  that  his  father  had  once  gone  to  Britain 
with  a  Gallic  army.  The  Britains  had  many  Druids 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  OF  A  D^TANT  LAND       167 

and  magicians  with  them  to  aid.  Just  as  the  Gauls 
were  ready  to  land  their  boats,  a  great  British  magician 
clad  all  in  white  came  out  from  the  myriads  of:  British 
warriors  on  the  beach,  and  with  raised  hands  uttered 
a  charm,  and  the  whole  island  of  Britain  began  to  shrink 
and  become  less  and  less  till  it  was  no  bigger  than  a 
shield.  At  the  same  time  a  great  wind  sprang  up  and 
drove  the  Gallic  ships  far  past  the  island  into  a  great 
waste  of  water  where  were  only  waves  and  big  rocks." 

"Oh,"  said  Baculus,  "do  leave  off  your  nonsense. 
Who  believes  such  stories  ?  Why  don't  you  go  and 
tell  Caesar  and  get  him  to  give  up  the  voyage  ?" 

"Tell  Caesar!"  exclaimed  Sannio.  "No  use  to  tell 
him.  He  believes  not  even  in  Jupiter,  though  he  does 
sacrifice  to  the  gods.  But  Sannio  believes.  I  grew  up 
on  a  farm  in  the  country  and  saw  many  magicians  in 
Italy  when  I  was  but  a  boy.  One  night  my  friend  and 
I  saw  two  haggard  old  women  who  dealt  in  magic 
creep  into  a  cemetery  when  the  moon  was  new.  They 
came  barefooted,  with  their  robes  tucked  up,  and  hair 
flying  loose  in  the  wind.  They  began  to  pick  up  toe 
and  knuckle  bones,  and  to  pluck  poisonous  herbs. 
Then  with  their  long  black  nails  they  clawed  a  hole  in 
the  ground  and  tore  a  black  lamb  in  pieces  with  their 
ugly  teeth,  while  they  uttered  a  charm  in  their  squeaky 
voices,  and  the  blood  from  the  lamb  flowed  into  the  hole. 
Then  the  manes  and  the  shades  of  the  dead,  with  chat- 
tering cries  and  gibbering  words,  gathered  around  the 
women,  and  the  noise  was  so  awful  we  ran  away  in 


terror." 


"I  think  these  stories  are  all  wrong,"  said  the  old 
merchant.     "Men  have  been  wont  in  all  ages  to  garb 


1 68  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

i 

the  unknown  in  fantastic  forms.  I  have  never  been 
in  Britain,  but  Hanno,  the  Phoenician,  whom  I  see 
every  year  when  he  comes  to  Rome  to  sell  the  tin  he 
buyj  in  Britain,  told  me  he  had  found  them  to  be, 
indeed,  savage  people,  huge  in  form,  fierce  in  manner, 
and  wearing  scant  clothing  of  skins,  but  otherwise  not 
greatly  different  from  these  Gauls.  He  said  that  they 
tattoo  themselves  and  paint  strange  figures  on  their 
bodies  with  a  blue  paint." 

"At  any  rate,  I  do  not  like  water  fighting  and  un- 
known dangers,"  persisted  Baculus.  "You  all  know 
I  love  a  tough  fight  with  a  bold  enemy  on  land,  one  that 
I  can  see  face  to  face,  and  my  body  bears  proof  of  it, 
but  this  adventure !  Bah !  Just  look  yonder  where 
those  cliffs  come  down  to  the  sea  !  Those  huge  white 
waves  are  beating  up  their  sides  higher  than  Caius 
could  reach  with  the  staff  of  his  eagle.  I  wonder  such 
waves  have  not  already  sunk  these  ships.  I  wonder 
more  that  Caesar  should  undertake  such  a  chase  after 
pearls.  That  is  what  they  say  he  is  after  in  Britain. 
All  the  pearls  might  turn  to  pebbles  for  what  I  care." 

"Well,  Caesar  has  determined  upon  this  voyage,  and 
so  there!"  said  Sannio.  "He  is  not  likely  to  make 
any  change  to  suit  the  judgment  of  the  centurion, 
Publius  Sextius  Baculus,  or  the  beliefs  of  Sannio.  As 
for  me,  if  any  pearls  are  to  be  had  in  Britain,  I  hope  a 
few  may  fall  to  my  lot.  They  sell  well  at  Rome.  But 
I  am  afraid  there  is  not  a  pearl  in  the  whole  land.  It 
is  the  common  talk  among  the  soldiers  that  Caesar  is 
going  to  Britain  because  the  people  there  have  helped 
the  Gauls,  and  he  thinks  it  needful  to  conquer  Britain 
in  order  to  keep  Gaul  conquered." 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  OF  A  DISTANT  LAND       169 

Caius  and  Titus  as  younger  men  and  subordinate 
officers  said  nothing,  but  each  thought,  not  without 
dread,  of  the  stories  they  had  heard  about  the  camp 
concerning  this  land  lying  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
known  world,  probably  containing  dangers  and  terrors 
which  even  the  Roman  might  fear  without  shame. 

"Well,  it  is  time  we  slept,"  said  Baculus.  "We 
embark  an  hour  after  midnight."  And  so  saying  he  set 
out  toward  the  camp,  followed  by  several  of  the  others. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  STANDARD  BEARER   REFUSES  TO  WRITE 
HIS   NAME 

CAIUS  walked  away  toward  a  Gallic  hut  a  half  mile 
up  the  shore  to  buy  a  choice  fowl  which  he  wished  to 
present  to  Caesar  to  be  used  as  a  victim  for  sacrifice. 
As  he  walked,  his  mind  dwelt  on  the  stories  he  had  been 
hearing  about  Britain.  These  did  not  tend  to  make  him 
especially  comfortable,  though  he  was  too  stout-hearted 
and  proud  to  admit  that  he  felt  any  fear.  Now,  as  the 
moon  had  not  yet  risen,  it  had  grown  very  dark,  and 
he  soon  lost  his  way  and  was  wandering  in  the  marshes 
and  thickets,  he  knew  not  how  far  from  the  shore.  He 
stopped  and  listened.  All  was  still. 

He  must  have  wandered  farther  away  than  he  knew. 
He  shouted  with  all  his  might,  hoping  to  get  an  answer 
from  some  soldier  or  sailor  of  the  fleet.  But  he  heard 
no  sound  save  the  echo  of  his  own  voice  among  the 
thickets,  the  solemn  croaking  of  frogs,  and  the  dismal 
cries  of  the  night  birds  as  they  whirred  and  fluttered 
among  the  trees.  He  almost  expected  to  see  a  faun  or 
a  drove  of  ugly  lemures  start  up  from  the  ground,  and 
he  saw  in  imagination  the  witches  of  Sannio.  Then  he 
fancied  that  some  unknown  danger,  real  and  tangible, 
lurked  near,  and  he  thought  he  heard  twigs  snap  here  and 
there  as  though  stealthily  trod  upon.  He  was  beginning 

170 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  REFUSES  TO  WRITE  HIS  NAME 


to  feel  that  unreasoning  terror  that  paralyzes  and 
maddens  a  man  when  he  is  lost  and  knows  that  he  is 
lost.  At  the  next  instant  it  seemed  that  his  blood 
froze  and  his  hair  stood  on  end,  and  he  shouted  again 
and  again  in  a  frenzy  of  desperation. 

"Hold,  my  pet,  you  are  not  quite  alone!"  And  he 
felt  himself  suddenly  seized  by  strong  hands,  jerked 

face  about,  and  with  an  oath, 
all  in  the  same  breath, 
ordered   to    give   up  his 
sword.    Involuntarily,  he 
shouted  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  wildly  attempting 
to  defend  him- 
self;   for  with 
the     certainty 
of  this   tangi- 
ble danger,  his 
full       courage 
had     returned 
on  the  instant. 
But    even    as    he 
shouted,   a   heavy 
blow    stretched    him 
on  the  ground,  unconscious. 

When  he  came  to  his  senses 
after  what  seemed  an  .age,  he  found  himself  surrounded 
by  three  or  four  men  with  masks  over  their  faces.  A 
light  made  from  dry  twigs  popped  and  crackled, 
enabling  him  to  see  them  only  dimly. 

"Here,  come  now,  you  brave  soldier,  aquilifer,  and 
pet  of  Caesar,  write  your  name  quickly  on  this  bit  of 


172  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

papyrus  and  we  will  let  you  go  unhurt/'  said  a  voice 
which  seemed  peculiarly  familiar  in  spite  of  its  at- 
tempted disguise. 

Dazed  as  he  was,  he  knew  that  here  was  some  trick 
and  that  he  ought  not  to  write  his  name  on  the  paper. 

"Sign  it,"  hissed  another,  giving  him  a  cuff  on  his 
jaw  and  thrusting  a  stylus  into  his  hand. 

As  Caius  had  been  disarmed,  realizing  his  helpless- 
ness, and  knowing  full  well  that  he  was  in  the  hands  of  a 
set  of  ruffians  who  would  but  have  the  more  reason  to 
murder  him  after  forcing  him  to  do  their  will,  he  still 
remained  silent.  Then  it  occurred  to  him  to  read  the 
paper,  but  his  glance  scarcely  fell  on  it  before  they 
began  to  swear  and  strike  him,  giving  him  no  oppor- 
tunity to  read. 

"It  is  but  your  business  to  sign  it,"  said  one  of  the 
men.  "We  will  attend  to  the  reading  our  worthy 
selves.  Sign  it  at  once  or  we  cut  your  throat." 

But  Caius  now  sprang  up  from  where  he  lay  on  the 
ground,  hurling  two  of  them  sprawling  in  the  mud  of 
the  marsh.  Then  he  seized  one  of  the  swords  which 
they  had  dropped  and  quickly  braced  his  back  against 
a  great  oak  and  stood  glaring  upon  his  captors. 

"Come,  now,  be  reasonable,"  said  one  who  seemed 
to  be  their  leader,  in  accents  somewhat  Gallic.  "We 
mean  you  no  harm.  Only  put  your  name  on  this 
paper,  and  we  will  be  gone." 

"Perhaps,  I  might,  if  it  would  help  you  and  not 
harm  me.  But  I  do  not  know  what  your  paper  is." 

The  leader  continued  to  urge  him,  and  Caius  stood  on 
guard.  Meanwhile,  one  of  them  had  crawled  behind 
the  tree  and  now  sprang  out  and  caught  his  sword  arm. 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  REFUSES  TO  WRITE  HIS  NAME    173 

The  others  were  upon  him  at  once,  brandishing  their 
swords  at  his  throat  and  threatening. 

"Will  you  do  our  pleasure  now?"  they  asked. 

"No/'  he  roared,  "I  will  not." 

"Then  we  shall  take  you  further  into  the  forest  and 
hack  your  head  off,"  said  the  leader.  And  they  all 
pressed  upon  him  and  began  to  drag  him  away,  despite 
his  desperate  struggle  to  prevent  them. 

He  began  to  think  he  was  in  his  last  extremes,  when, 
with  a  shout,  Titus,  Baculus,  and  Sannio  sprang  in 
upon  his  captors.  The  latter  did  not  stay  to  fight,  but 
scurried  away  into  the  thickets. 

"By  Hercules  !  But  how  came  you  off  here  in  these 
marshes  alone?"  asked  Baculus.  "If  you  hadn't 
yelled  so  loudly  a  little  while  ago,  we  shouldn't  have 
found  you,  for  we  were  just  turning  to  go  back  to 
camp." 

"I  was  going  to  the  Gaul's  house  up  the  beach  and 
lost  my  way,"  replied  Caius.  "I  was  sure  those 
friends  of  mine  were  going  to  kill  me.  I  had  given  up 
all  hope.  But  how  come  you  here  ? " 

"Why,  Titus  there  saw  you  go  away,  but  thought 
nothing  of  it  till  you  failed  to  return  to  the  tent  as 
usual.  Then,  when  we  remembered  that  he  had  seen 
three  or  four  strange  men  pass  near  us  on  the  beach, 
watching  us  covertly,  and  when  he  recalled  that  they 
had  later  followed  in  the  direction  taken  by  you,  he 
grew  uneasy.  He  told  us,  and  we  hurried  neck  and 
limb  to  find  you." 

As  they  turned  away  toward  the  camp,  Caius  saw 
lying  on  the  ground  a  piece  of  papyrus  and  picked  it  up 
and  thrust  it  into  his  belt.  He  would  read  it  when  he 


174  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

had  a  light.  They  hurried  away  to  snatch  a  little 
sleep  before  the  labor  of  embarking. 

They  were  admitted  to  the  camp  by  the  guard. 

"Our  centurions  are  out  late  to-night,"  said  one  of 
the  men,  evidently  an  acquaintance  of  Baculus.  "How 
many  natives  did  you  rob  ?" 

"Keep  to  your  own  stand  and  spear,"  grunted 
Baculus. 

"Well,  who  were  the  men  that  just  passed  in  ahead 
of  you  ?"  asked  the  same  man. 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  Baculus,  carelessly. 

But  Caius  wondered.  They  passed  on.  In  one  of 
the  tents  was  a  loud  snoring. 

"That  fellow  sleeps  hard,"  said  Titus. 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Sannio.  "He  may  be  asleep 
with  his  eyes,  but  his  nose  is  wide  awake." 

Caius  knew  that  this  was  the  tent  of  Lanius,  and, 
listening  carefully,  he  knew  that  some  one  within  was 
only  feigning  sleep. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE   STANDARD  BEARER  LEADS  THE  LEGIONS 

THE  order  to  take  ship  sounded  about  midnight.  To 
the  disgust  of  Baculus,  despite  his  protestations  that 
he  did  not  want  to  go  to  Britain,  by  a  sudden  change 
in  Caesar's  plans,  the  Twelfth  legion  was  left  to  guard 
the  port.  Only  the  older  legions  were  carried.  Im- 
mediately upon  the  signal,  the  camp  was  astir,  orders 
were  shouted,  trumpets  rang,  men  hurried  down  to  the 
water's  edge,  boats  went  and  came,  and  in  less  than  an 
hour  the  blare  of  the  tuba  called  from  end  to  end  of  the 
fleet.  The  oars  rattled  in  their  sockets,  the  ropes 
creaked,  the  sails  flapped  in  the  wind,  and  the  fleet 
swept  out  toward  the  chalk  cliffs  of  Britain  —  the  first 
naval  fleet  of  civilized  men  to  seek  those  shores. 

By  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  through  the  misty 
light,  the  Romans  on  the  lookout  saw  the  land  bulging 
high  and  steep  before  them.  As  the  fleet  drew  nearer, 
the  legionaries  saw,  gathered  on  the  high  headlands, 
thousands  of  long-haired,  blue-painted  Britons  watch- 
ing their  approach  in  silence,  but  with  weapons  in  their 
hands. 

Seeing  that  the  Britons  might  easily  hurl  javelins 
and  stones  from  the  heights  upon  his  legionaries,  should 
he  attempt  to  land  at  this  point,  Caesar  turned  his 
fleet  up  the  coast  to  find  a  more  suitable  place  for  dis- 
embarking. But  the  Britons  appeared  to  be  aware  of 
his  intentions,  for  they  followed  on  the  land  with  such 


176  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

speed  as  to  keep  pace  with  the  vessels,  ready  to  oppose 
his  landing  on  their  shores  wherever  he  might  make 
the  attempt. 

When  the  fleet  had  proceeded  up  the  coast  for  some 
seven  miles,  a  long  stretch  of  low  flat  shore  was  sighted, 
and  here  the  ships  lay  to  and  Caesar  gave  orders  for 
disembarking. 

The  Britons  now  hurried  down  close  to  the  water's 
edge  and  fairly  swarmed  for  the  distance  of  a  mile  or 
more  along  the  sands,  their  red  heads,  long  mustaches, 
and  huge  bodies,  blue  painted,  and  armed  with  huge 
javelins,  long  swords,  and  knotted  clubs,  all  showing 
wild,  fierce,  and  defiant,  against  the  grassy  shores  and 
the  great  forests  of  ancient  oaks  and  beeches.  Their 
long-bearded  priests,  with  loosened  hair  and  flowing 
robes,  hurried  hither  and  thither  among  them,  urging 
them  with  hideous  shouts  to  fight  bravely  and  not  to 
give  over  their  lands  to  the  stranger. 

The  Romans  were  dismayed  at  so  savage  a  scene, 
and  so,  when  the  order  to  disembark  was  given,  only  a 
few  of  the  soldiers  ventured  to  leap  into  the  waves. 
Some  of  these,  overcome  by  the  wash  of  the  surf,  fell 
in  the  water,  and  being  unable  to  rise  again  on  account 
of  the  weight  of  their  armor  and  the  force  of  the  waves, 
were  lost.  Such  as  maintained  their  footing  were  soon 
surrounded  and  killed  by  the  Britons.  The  latter  then 
retreated  to  the  shore  to  await  the  next  move  of  the 
Romans. 

Caius  and  Titus  stood  together  on  the  deck  of  one 
of  the  triremes.  "What  horrid  barbarians!"  ex- 
claimed Caius.  "Look  yonder  at  that  big,  red-hearded 
giant  with  the  knotted  club.  I  believe  he  is  preparing 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  LEADS  THE  LEGIONS   177 

to  hurl  it  upon  us."  And  even  as  Caius  spoke,  the 
Briton  swung  his  great  knotted  club  and  let  it  drive. 
It  fairly  groaned  as  it  hurtled  through  the  air,  and 
barely  missing  Caius,  struck  the  shield  of  a  legionary 
just  behind  him,  knocking  the  soldier  sprawling.  And 
then  hundreds  of  them  threw  a  shower  of  stones  which 
rattled  and  glanced  on  the  Roman  armor. 

"It  seems  that  we  are  going  to  be  beaten  back  and 
not  allowed  to  land,"  said  Caius. 

Hardly  had  Caius  spoken  when  a  shower  of  stones 
and  heavy  darts  from  the  ballista  on  the  engine  ships 
sang  and  fell  rattling  among  the  barbarians,  killing  a 
number,  but  doing  more  harm  to  them  by  the  surprise 
and  fear  created.  The  barbarians  at  once  fell  back 
further  up  the  shore.  But  still  the  Roman  soldiers 
hesitated  to  leave  the  ships  and  to  plunge  into  the 
rolling  surf. 

"Now  is  our  time  to  win  glory!"  exclaimed  Caius. 
Then  he  leaped  upon  a  pile  of  shields  and  called  out, 
"O  Gods  of  the  Romans,  who  have  ever  favored  us  in 
battle,  grant  now  that  what  I  am  about  to  do  may  be 
for  the  glory  and  welfare  of  the  Roman  people."  Then 
he  sprang  upon  a  weapon  case  so  he  could  be  seen,  and 
holding  the  shining  golden  eagle  aloft,  shouted  aloud, 
"Fellow  soldiers,  leap  forth  now  unless  you  are  willing 
to  betray  your  eagle  to  the  enemy.  I,  at  least,  shall  do 
my  duty  to  the  state  and  to  my  commander."  At 
the  same  moment,  holding  the  eagle  on  high  with  his 
left  hand  and  drawing  his  sword  with  his  right,  he 
leaped  upon  the  railing  and  thence  into  the  water, 
closely  followed  by  Titus.  At  once,  throughout  the 
ship  rose  a  clamor  of  voices.  "Save  the  eagle  !" 


178  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"  Follow  the  eagle  !"  "The  eagle  will  be  lost  unless  we 
follow!"  "We  are  disgraced  if  the  eagle  is  lost!" 

There  was  a  mad  scramble  for  the  sides  of  the  ship. 
Over  the  soldiers  climbed,  and  right  into  the  water, 
some  falling  with  the  weight  of  their  armor,  others 
being  dashed  down  by  the  force  of  the  swelling  waves, 
and  still  others  slipping  into  deep  water  from  which 
they  never  rose.  But  the  greater  part  maintained  a 
footing  and  pressed  after  the  standard  bearer  toward 
the  shore.  The  soldiers  of  the  other  legions  seeing  those 
of  the  Tenth  advancing,  followed  their  example,  and 
soon  the  whole  of  the  two  legions  were  moving  toward 
the  beach. 

Caius  still  led  the  way,  though  now  he  was  attacked 
by  two  Britons  who  had  somewhat  recovered  from  their 
surprise  at  the  missiles  from  the  ballista.  The  huge 
barbarian  whom  he  had  noted  from  the  deck  of  the 
ship  struck  at  him  with  his  sword,  but  the  weapon, 
being  of  bronze,  bent  on  the  well-tempered  steel  of 
Caius's  sword  with  which  he  parried,  and  Titus  stabbed 
him.  The  other  Caius  cut  down.  Still  others  pressed 
upon  them  and  still  they  cut  and  hewed,  and  the  water 
grew  thick  with  foam  and  bright  red  blood  and  floating 
bodies.  Caius  did  not  know  the  whereabouts  of  the 
chief  centurion,  and  scarcely  any  man  was  at  his  own 
standard. 

But  all  pressed  shoreward,  a  line  a  mile  long,  up  and 
down  the  shore.  Every  foot  of  the  advance  was  stoutly 
contested  by  the  islanders,  and  whenever  a  Roman 
became  by  any  chance  separated  from  the  mass,  he  was 
at  once  surrounded  by  British  horsemen  and  killed. 

When  at  last  the  Roman  line  stood  on  the  shore,  an 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  LEADS  THE  LEGIONS   179 

onset  was  made  against  the  Britons  and  they  were 
easily  forced  back.  But  hardly  had  the  Roman  lines 
come  to  a  halt  for  breath  before  the  cry  arose  among 
them,  "The  chariots!  The  chariots!"  and  even  at 
the  instant  the  long  line  of  chariots  drawn  by  the  wiry 
little  British  ponies,  their  heavy  wooden  wheels  rattling 
and  knocking,  came  charging  at  mad  speed  upon  them. 
The  Roman  ranks  opened  to  let  them  pass  through, 
but  contrary  to  expectation,  just  as  the  chariots  had 
nearly  reached  the  Roman  lines  the  horses  were  sud- 
denly stopped,  the  sword  men  in  them  leaped  out  and 
charged  upon  the  Romans,  the  drivers  rushed  out 
upon  the  poles  of  the  chariots  and  stood  upon  the  yokes, 
striking  downward,  thus  killing  and  wounding  many 
Romans. 

One  of  the  chariots  bore  down  upon  the  point  where 
Caius  and  Titus  stood.  "Stand  still  till  they  are  near 
us,  Titus,"  said  Caius,  "and  then  run  quickly  to  one 
side."  At  the  instant  the  horses  were  upon  them, 
Caius  with  the  eagle  darted  aside  to  escape,  but 
Titus  leaped  up  and  clung  to  the  bridle  of  one  of  the 
horses  and  cut  the  animal's  throat,  thus  stopping  the 
chariot.  A  swordsman  and  the  driver  quickly  leaped 
from  the  pole  of  the  vehicle  and  charged  upon  Titus, 
who  fended  with  his  shield  and  struck  out  stoutly  with 
his  sword.  The  two  together  were  on  the  point  of 
beating  him  to  the  ground  when  Caius  stabbed  the 
other  horse,  which  reared  and  in  coming  down  struck 
the  shield  of  Titus  with  its  fore  foot  and  knocked  it 
from  his  arm.  Caius  rushed  to  his  assistance,  where- 
upon one  of  the  Britons  snatched  up  the  shield,  and 
the  two  ran  away. 

STANDARD   BEARER — 12 


ISO  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

A  glance  along  the  Roman  line  showed  Romans 
everywhere  breaking  from  the  ranks  and  rushing  out 
to  stab  the  horses.  Thus  the  charge  was  checked  and 
the  Britons  fled.  The  Romans  began  to  pursue.  But 
the  order  to  halt  was  sounded,  for  Caesar  did  not  wish 
to  risk  his  legions  in  the  forests  among  unknown  dan- 
gers from  the  enemy. 

Soon  he  came  along  the  lines,  cheering  the  men  and 
praising  them  for  their  bravery.  As  he  came  near 
Caius  and  Titus,  he  stopped.  "And  how  fared  the 
eagle  of  the  Tenth,  young  Caius  ?"  he  asked. 

The  chief  centurion  of  the  legion  had  now  come  up 
and  he  hastened  to  tell  the  story  of  Caius  and  the  eagle 
to  the  Imperator. 

"Grand  !"  he  cried  when  he  had  heard  it.  "I  shall 
see  that  you  are  rewarded.  But  how  come  you  with- 
out your  shield,  my  sturdy  Titus  ? " 

Titus  threw  himself  at  the  Imperator's  feet  and  in  a 
burst  of  grief  acknowledged  that  he  had  lost  it,  a  deed 
the  most  disgraceful  a  Roman  soldier  might  be  guilty  of. 

"He  lost  it  in  defending  the  eagle,"  said  Caius,  "and 
no  man  could  have  done  better."  And  Caius  briefly 
told  the  story. 

"You  shall  have  one  of  the  best  shields  in  the  army, 
and  you  are  to  take  the  place  of  a  centurion  to-morrow," 
said  Caesar.  And  giving  special  orders  to  the  lieuten- 
ant relative  to  Titus,  he  passed  on. 

Thus  was  Titus  made  a  centurion  in  the  Roman 
army.  And  for  once  in  his  life  did  his  stolid  face  break 
with  smiles  of  joy. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE   STANDARD   BEARER  HEARS  A  TALE 

SOME  months  later,  on  the  high  banks  of  the  Rhine, 
just  below  the  point  where  that  great  stream  and  the 
Moselle  mingle  their  waters  and  thence  roll  downward 
to  the  boisterous  North  Sea,  Caius  and  Titus  sat, 
watching  the  unusual  scene  of  activity.  From  out  the 
thick  forests,  team  after  team  of  the  great  Gallic  oxen 
were  driven,  drawing  huge  tree  stems  and  dropping 
them  near  the  water's  edge  and  winding  away  into  the 
woods  again  to  bring  yet  others.  Thousands  of  Roman 
soldiers,  all  arms  and  armor  laid  aside,  hurried  here  and 
there,  everywhere,  busy  as  a  hill  of  ants.  Here  a  group 
hewed  the  timbers  into  required  forms,  others  rolled 
them  into  the  water  of  the  river,  and  still  others  with 
boats  and  poles  pushed  them  to  where  they  were  needed, 
all  working  at  the  command  of  the  fabri.  Huge 
derricks,  turning  slowly  with  many  a  creak  and  groan, 
swung  heavy  timbers  with  sharpened  ends  into  place, 
where  they  were  propped  for  a  moment,  and  then  the 
weight  of  the  ponderous  pile  drivers  fell  with  loud  thuds, 
time  after  time,  until  the  timbers  were  driven  firmly 
into  place  and  men  made  them  fast  with  nails  and 
clamps  of  wrought  iron  as  thick  as  a  legionary's  thumb. 
And  so  span  after  span  of  Caesar's  famous  bridge  across 
the  Rhine  was  builded.  On  the  banks  of  the  river  at 
regular  intervals,  their  armor  glittering  in  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  stood  cohorts  of  soldiers,  keeping  guard  while 
the  others  built  the  bridge. 

181 


182 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


"It  is  now  the  morning  of  the  tenth  day  since  Caesar 
ordered  old  Cornelius    Balbus    to    begin  the  bridge/' 


said  Caius,  lazily  watching  the  work.  "It  looks  as 
though  the  old  smith  would  have  it  finished  to-day. 
He  can  hurry  men  when  a  bridge  or  a  fortification  is 
to  be  built  for  Caesar." 

"I   hope   he  will   make  these   men   finish   to-day," 
muttered  Titus.     "To-morrow  it  will  be  my  turn  to 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  HEARS  A  TALE     183 

work  again  if  it  is  not  finished  to-day.  I  have  worked 
on  the  bridge  every  third  day  and  stood  guard  every 
third  day  with  only  a  day  to  rest  till  I  am  tired  of  it. 
I  came  to  Gaul  to  fight,  anyway." 

"Well,  suppose  there  were  fewer  soldiers  so  that  you 
had  to  work  every  day,"  laughed  Caius.  "As  it  is, 
Caesar  has  enough  men  in  the  legions  that  he  can  give  us 
one  day  out  of  every  three  to  work,  one  to  stand  guard, 
and  one  to  rest." 

"If  there  had  been  so  few  soldiers  as  that  we  should 
not  have  worked  at  all,  for  Caesar  would  not  then  have 
built  the  bridge  to  go  into  Germany,"  returned  Titus. 

"Your  words  show  how  little  you  have  learned  of 
Caesar's  ways,"  said  Caius.  "Why,  when  we  first 
came  to  Gaul,  he  built  a  wall  nineteen  miles  long  with 
only  one  legion.  The  bigger  the  task,  the  more  deter- 
mined he  is." 

"Well,  what  is  Caesar  going  into  Germany  for?" 
suddenly  blurted  Titus.  "Has  the  fighting  given  out 
in  Gaul?" 

"I  do  not  know  exactly,"  said  Caius.  "But  I 
learn  from  Procillus  and  Baculus  that  Caesar  is 
marching  into  Germany,  chiefly  on  account  of  the 
Usipites  and  Tencteri,  two  large  tribes  of  Germans. 
Three  years  ago  in  a  war  with  the  Suebians,  the  lat- 
ter drove  them  out  of  theU  own  lands,  and  ever  since 
then  the  Usipites  and  Tencteri  have  been  wandering 
about  in  Germany,  with  their  wives,  children,  and 
wagons.  Lately  they  were  hard  pressed  by  the  Sue- 
bians again,  and  so  they  crossed  into  Gaul  and  destroyed 
the  whole  nation  of  the  Menapians.  Caesar  now  fears, 
so  Procillus  told  me,  that  these  people  may  unite  with 


184  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

the  Gauls,  send  for  other  tribes  of  the  Germans,  and 
all  together  make  him  trouble.  So  he  intends  to  show 
the  Germans  his  power.  I  suppose  you  have  not  for- 
gotten in  these  few  days  how  we  attacked  the  Usipites 
and  Tencteri  in  their  camp  among  their  wagons  and 
drove  most  of  them  into  the  Rhine  —  what  we  did  not 
kill  outright  or  take  prisoners  ?" 

"No,  I  have  not  forgotten,  since  I  have  by  that 
battle  become  rich  enough  to  put  a  band  of  gold  about 
my  sword  sheath  and  to  have  a  German  servant," 
smiled  Titus.  "But  I  do  not  see  why  Caesar  needs 
to  have  us  do  all  this  work.  Why  could  we  not  have 
gone  over  in  the  Gallic  boats  ?" 

"Oh,  you  ignorant  rustic,"  mocked  Caius.  "Why 
not  go  over  in  boats  ?  Well,  it  is  not  safe.  Then 
again  it  would  not  be  in  accordance  with  the  ideas  of 
Caesar  and  the  Roman  people  to  go  paddling  across  into 
so  great  and  unknown  a  country  in  Gallic  skiffs.  The 
Roman  army  must  march  across  on  a  well-built  bridge, 
in  regular  ranks,  and  steady  order." 

"Well,  the  fabri  are  hurrying  the  men  to-day  with 
more  haste  than  before,"  said  Titus,  yawning.  "I 
hope  they  do  finish  to-day." 

Old  Matho  now  joined  them.  "I  hope  this  bridge 
will  soon  be  finished,  too,"  he  said.  "I  hope  to  make 
some  good  gain  in  Germany.  But  not  for  the  Germans. 
They  never  buy,  but  always  sell.  I  have  a  large  stock 
of  such  goods  as  Caesar's  legionaries  pay  well  for  in 
these  wilds." 

Before  either  of  the  youths  could  reply,  a  heavy 
crash  of  timbers  and  a  loud  splash  of  water  drew  their 
eyes  to  the  bridge.  One  section  of  it  had  fallen  in, 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HEARS    A   TALE  185 

carrying  timbers,  scaffolding,  men,  and  all  into  the 
river.  The  water  was  covered  with  floating  timbers 
and  the  bodies  of  men,  some  dead,  others  wounded,  and 
a  few  swimming  unhurt. 

"By  Libra  and  Pluto!"  exclaimed  Matho,  "that 
thing  has  happened  more  than  once  in  these  last  ten 
days.  I  wonder  that  the  men  do  not  mutiny  and 
refuse  to  work  at  it  any  longer." 

"Caesar's  soldiers  never  mutiny,"  said  Caius. 

"At  any  rate  it  is  a  dreadful  sight,"  said  the  old 
merchant,  "and  I  never  hear  such  a  sound  but  I  smell 
blood,  and  I  think  of  a  venture  I  once  had  among 
the  Nervians." 

As  the  soldiers  on  duty  were  already  rescuing  such 
men  as  were  unhurt  as  well  as  the  wounded,  the  youths 
again  lay  on  the  ground  and  begged  the  old  merchant 
to  stay  with  them  and  tell  them  his  story. 

For  a  wonder  he  consented. 

"Once  some  years  ago  I  was  trading  in  Farther  Gaul, 
and  gradually  traveled  northward. .  Finally,  I  wan- 
dered into  the  territory  of  the  Nervians.  Few  if  any 
Roman  traders  had  ever  traveled  among  the  people. 
They  are  a  bold  and  hardy  race,  despising  all  foreigners 
and  foreign  customs.  They  believe  that  wine  and  soft 
clothing  and  such  other  goods  as  traders  bring  among 
them  destroy  their  courage  and  soften  their  hardihood. 
After  I  had  been  in  their  country  for  a  day  or  two, 
though  I  received  no  injury  —  nor  trade  —  still  I  saw 
that  I  was  regarded  with  suspicion  and  dislike.  Then 
came  a  messenger  from  the  king  to  order  me  to  depart 
from  his  boundaries. 

"I  hastily  set  forth,  hoping  to  pass  from  his  country 


1 86  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

before  the  end  of  the  day.  But  as  night  came  on,  the 
heavens  suddenly  blackened,  the  thunder  rolled, 
lightning  played  among  the  huge  trees,  and  great  sheets 
of  rain  driven  by  hard  gusts  of  wind  almost  swept  me 
away.  A  storm  was  raging.  As  I  was  alone  and  no 
shelter  to  be  had,  I  urged  my  oxen  onward. 

"A  great  flash  of  lightning  seemed  to  set  the  black- 
ness of  the  forest  on  fire.  For  a  moment  there  was  a 
horrific,  splitting,  tearing  roar,  and  then  I  knew  no 
more.  All  was  blank  as  though  I  were  dead.  When 
my  senses  returned,  I  was  lying  on  soft  skins  in  a 
Nervian  house  with  two  or  three  of  the  Nervians  about 
me.  Among  them  was  a  fair  young  girl  about  twelve 
years  old — just  the  age  of  my  own  little  Nigra  at 
Rome  —  who  seemed  specially  eager  for  my  welfare. 
I  soon  knew  that  I  was  in  the  house  of  King  Boduagno- 
tus  himself,  for  I  recognized  the  girl  as  his  little  daughter 
Bridiga.  The  previous  day  I  had  given  her  a  Roman 
doll  and  a  ribbon  of  purple  silk.  They  cost  me  fifty 
good  silver  sesterces. 

"As  I  lay  and  bemoaned  the  loss  of  my  goods  and 
feared  what  the  people  might  do  with  me,  the  girl 
tried  to  comfort  me.  She  told  me  I  was  safe  and  would 
be  cared  for.  She  said  that  a  party  of  her  father's 
warriors  had  found  me  under  a  heavy  limb  which  had 
been  torn  from  a  great  oak  by  the  lightning.  I  had 
likely  been  dead,  but  the  soft  mud  in  which  the  limb 
had  bound  me  had  yielded  under  the  weight.  The 
men  had  brought  me  to  the  king,  and  she  had  begged 
him  to  take  care  of  me  till  I  should  be  well  again. 

"My  leg  was  broken,  and  I  lay  long  before  I  could 
stir  from  the  house.  All  the  time  the  little  Bridiga 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER   HEARS    A   TALE  187 

tended  me  with  the  greatest  care.  I  had  a  Roman 
book,  the  beautiful  poems  of  Livius  Andronicus.  I 
read  to  pass  a  part  of  the  time.  She  was  curious  and 
wished  to  know  more  about  it.  Soon  I  taught  her  to 
read  it  and  also  to  speak  Latin.  She  was  very  eager 
to  learn  and  did  so  rapidly. 

"Meanwhile,  I  knew  the  king  was  eager  for  me  to  be 
gone,  and  only  endured  my  presence  out  of  hospitality 
and  for  the  sake  of  the  golden-haired  girl.  Hospitality 
is  one  of  the  most  marked  traits  of  Gallic  character, 
and  hence  I  would  have  been  safe,  at  any  rate. 

"At  last  I  was  well  enough  to  travel,  and  I  came 
away  with  no  hurt.  The  little  Bridiga  wept  and  begged 
me  to  stay.  I  have  often  thought  of  her.  I  wish  I 
knew  if  she  lived  and  fared  well  after  Caesar  defeated 
her  father  in  that  awful  slaughter  at  the  Sabis. 

"But  I  had  lost  all  my  wealth,  for  robbers  or  some  one 
had  plundered  me  before  the  king's  men  found  me.  I 
have  been  busy  since  in  trying  to  restore  my  fortune. 
May  the  gods  favor  me  on  this  trip.  I  must  go  now 
and  see  if  I  can  find  some  hungry  legionary  who  wants 
to  buy  from  me." 

And  he  went  away,  leaving  Titus  asleep,  and  Caius 
thinking  of  the  Nervian  maid  and  a  great  deal  more 
curious  about  the  matter  than  he  cared  to  own.  What 
if  this  were  the  Nervian  maiden  whom  he  had  taken 
for  a  boy  ?  What  if  she  were  not  the  same  ?  Anyway, 
what  difference  could  it  make  to  him,  a  Roman  soldier 
of  patrician  birth,  with  a  fortune  to  win  and  many 
wrongs  to  avenge  ? 

He  lay,  for  a  long  time,  alone  on  the  grass  and  tried 
to  think  of  duty. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE  STANDARD   BEARER  PREPARES  FOR  A  HUNT 

CJESAR'S  bridge  across  the  Rhine  was  completed  on 
the  tenth  day  from  that  on  which  he  had  begun  it. 

On  the  next  morning  when  the  first  light  shone,  the 
trumpets  sang  throughout  the  great  Roman  camp,  the 
white  flag  on  Caesar's  tent  was  taken  down  in  token 
that  the  soldiers  should  strike  their  tents,  the  baggage 
was  packed,  the  legions  fell  into  column  of  advance, 
the  trumpets  again  set  the  echoes  flying  on  the  river 
and  throughout  the  forest,  and  the  Roman  army 
began  to  cross  the  bridge. 

The  rising  sun  tipped  the  steel  points  of  the  Tenth 
legion  with  silver  as  it  led  the  way.  The  water  of  the 
swift,  turbulent  river  splashed  and  gurgled  uproariously 
as  it  dashed  among  the  piles  that  obstructed  its  way. 
Occasionally,  a  huge  tree  or  log  brought  down  by  the 
waters  came  rushing  along  with  such  force  that  it 
seemed  the  supports  of  the  bridge  must  be  broken 
away.  Legion  after  legion  now  marched  forth  and 
across,  a  line  a  mile  in  length,  reaching  from  the  camp 
on  across  the  bridge  to  the  further  edge  of  the  open 
land,  where,  one  after  another,  they  were  swallowed 
up  in  the  dark  shadows  of  the  German  forest. 

After  several  days'  march  through  the  fire-wasted 
land  which  the  Germans  themselves  had  devastated  to 
prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  advance  of  an  enemy, 
the  Roman  army  finally  encamped  not  far  from  the 
Hercynian  forest. 

1 88 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER    PREPARES    FOR   A    HUNT      189 

There  was  a  large  number  of  Gauls  in  the  camp  who 
had  followed  the  army  into  Germany.  Many  stories 
they  told  the  Romans  of  the  wonderful  men  of  Germany, 
of  its  great  swamps,  and  of  its  strange  animals. 

"Why  do  these  Germans  burn  and  destroy  such  fine 
crops  and  so  many  towns  which  might  furnish  at  least 
some  plunder?"  asked  Sannio  of  Crixus,  a  Gaul. 

"Because,"  replied  he,  "that  is  their  custom.  Each 
German  nation  prides  itself  on  the  greatest  width  of 
territory  it  can  keep  devastated  about  its  own  borders. 
Then  if  an  enemy  threatens  them,  that  they  fear  as 
they  now  do  Caesar's  army,  they  will  destroy  their 
own  houses,  towns,  and  crops,  and  move  farther  on." 

"I  don't  wonder  that  they  move  faVther  on  in  these 
dark  forests,"  said  Sannio.  "I  am  sure  they  are  full 
of  fauns  and  wood  sprites  and  magic  as  well  as  of 
wild  beasts.  They  say  this  forest  is  the  largest  in 
Germany." 

"It  is  the  largest  in  the  world,"  said  the  Gaul.  "It 
begins  at  the  borders  of  the  Helvetians  and  Rauracians 
and  runs  along  the  Danube  River  to  the  territories  of  the 
Dacians.  Then  it  extends  round  about  many  nations 
and  rivers.  It  takes  a  man  swift  as  the  wind  to  walk 
around  it  in  sixty  days  or  more.  In  it  the  trees  are  so 
thick  grown  the  shadows  are  black  as  night,  and  some 
of  the  trees  reach  to  the  clouds.  No  man  goes  in  it  or 
around  it." 

"How,  then,  does  any  one  know  all  these  things?" 
asked  Titus.  He  was  inclined  to  be  rather  skeptical. 

"Oh,  well!"  replied  the  Gaul,  impatiently,  "that 
is  what  they  say.  I  was  only  telling  you  what  I  have 
heard." 


I9O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"I  see/'  said  Titus.  "You  are  telling  what  you  have 
heard  as  something  you  know.  I  have  noticed  many 
Gauls  doing  the  like." 

"By  Bel,  the  bright  sun  god/'  exclaimed  the  Gaul, 
hotly.  "If  you  tell  me  I  speak  falsely,  I  can  prove 
on  your  body  that  I  speak  the  truth."  And  his  hand 
worked  nervously  over  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  while 
his  jaws  set  and  his  eyes  grew  hard  and  bright. 

"I'm  ready,"  said  Titus,  stolidly,  while  drawing  his 
sword.  "I  want  all  the  practice  I  can  get."  The  two 
were  just  ready  to  come  to  blows,  when  Caesar,  accom- 
panied by  several  of  his  friends,  passing  that  way, 
stopped  and  interposed. 

Caesar,  learning  what  the  discussion  was  about,  grew 
interested,  and  then  commanded  the  Gaul  to  tell  more 
of  the  great  forest. 

"I  know  many  things  of  it,"  he  said,  "but  this  man 
must  not  talk  to  me  as  he  does." 

"I  will  be  surety  that  you  are  not  interrupted  again," 
said  Caesar.  "Tell  us  something  of  the  animals  in  the 
forest." 

"Are  there  animals  that  yield  beautiful  and  mer- 
chantable furs?"  ventured  Matho. 

"I  do  not  know  that,"  replied  the  Gaul.  "But  the 
animals  are  the  most  wonderful  and  strange  in  the 
world.  There  is  a  kind  of  cow  like  a  stag  in  form.  In 
the  middle  of  its  head,  between  its  ears,  it  has  a  single 
long  straight  horn  which  branches  at  the  top  like  a  tree." 

A  murmur  of  wonder  ran  around  the  group,  but, 
encouraged  by  the  attention  Caesar  was  giving  him, 
Crixus  continued.  "Then  there  is  the  elk.  It  looks 
like  a  goat  in  shape  and  in  the  different  colors  of  the 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER    PREPARES    FOR   A   HUNT      I gi 

skin,  but  it  is  smaller  than  a  goat.  Its  horns  are 
pronged,  but  they  are  bent  every  way  like  a  broken  bush. 
Its  legs  have  no  joints  and  it  never  lies  down,  not  even 
to  sleep.  Should  one  by  accident  be  thrown  down,  it 
is  unable  to  rise  again  because  of  its  stiff  legs.  To 
sleep  they  lean  against  trees.  The  Germans  take 
them  by  cutting  the  trees  almost  down  where  they 
sleep,  or  by  digging  them  at  the  roots  till  they  will 
easily  fall.  The  elks  lean  against  them  and  both  fall 
together." 

"That  is  a  wonderful  animal,"  said  Caesar.  "I 
should  like  to  see  one  of  them." 

Thus  further  encouraged,  the  Gaul  continued.  "The 
aurochs  is  the  biggest  beast  in  the  world.  You  could 
not  reach  to  the  top  of  its  back  with  a  Roman  javelin. 
They  are  shaped  and  colored  like  a  bull.  They  are 
strong  and  fierce  and  spare  neither  man  nor  beast,  and 
can  only  be  taken  in  deep  pits  digged  and  covered  over 
with  tree  tops.  The  German  youth  prove  their  man- 
hood by  taking  an  aurochs.  They  must  bring  the 
horns  and  show  them  in  public.  Then  they  receive 
great  praise.  You  cannot  tame  one  even  when  it  is 
very  young." 

"How  did  you  learn  these  things?"  asked  Caesar. 

"I  was  once  made  a  prisoner  by  the  Germans,"  said 
Crixus.  "I  escaped,  and  learned  of  them  while  wander- 
ing in  the  forests  to  hide  from  the  Germans." 

'' Those  are  most  wonderful  animals,"  said  Caesar. 
"I  should  like  to  see  them.  Since  we  are  to  delay  here 
for  several  days,  we  may  hunt  some  of  them.  Let 
Caius,  Baculus,  Sannio,  and  this  Gaul  who  knows  of 
these  animals  advance  into  the  forests  this  afternoon 


192  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

with  fifty  men  and  dig  pits  for  aurochs  and  select  trees 
for  the  taking  of  the  stiff-legged  elk.  Then,  early  to- 
morrow we  will  go  on  a  hunt.  It  were  well  sometimes 
to  forget  our  battles  and  amuse  ourselves  with  sports." 

Caesar  and  his  companions  walked  on.  "  By  Bacchus, 
but  I  do  not  want  to  go  into  this  forest,"  said  Sannio. 
"I  see  little  profit  in  it,  and  I  fear  the  fauns,  the 
witches,  and  the  magic  of  the  place  more  than  I  do 
the  animals."  And  he  shuddered  despite  the  fact  that 
his  hand  rested  on  the  hilt  of  his  good  sword. 

"Yes,  and  so  do  I,"  said  Titus.  "I  believe  that  there 
are  magic  and  witchery  in  this  great  black  forest  much 
more  than  I  believe  there  are  such  animals  there  as 
that  Gaul  told  us  about." 

Crixus  had  left  the  group,  and  there  was  no  con- 
tradiction. 

Caius  and  the  party,  sent  to  make  ready  for  the  hunt, 
found  the  reports  of  the  great  trees  and  the  thick 
growth  and  grassy  marshes,  and  of  the  darkness  of  the 
shadows,  not  by  any  means  overt  old.  The  darkness 
and  the  gloom  were  enough  to  lead  wiser  men  than 
these  to  feel  a  dread  of  some  unknown  danger  which 
might  lurk  in  the  bogs,  the  thickets,  or  the  brakes,  and 
which  might  be  encountered  in  almost  any  shape  of 
witchery  or  magic. 

The  party  advanced  cautiously,  and  at  last  found  a 
place  where,  on  a  slight  ridge  covered  with  a  growth  of 
small  trees,  they  found  many  tracks  of  some  small 
cloven-footed  animal.  The  Gaul  said  they  were  the 
tracks  of  the  elk.  So  they  carefully  cut  many  of  the 
trees  near  the  ground  till  they  were  almost  ready  to  fall. 

Some  distance  beyond  they  found  fresh  tracks  like 


THE  STANDARD  BEARER  PREPARES  FOR  A  HUNT   193 

*%.w 


those  of  large  cows.  Crixus  said  these  were  the  tracks 
of  the  aurochs.  Near  by  they  digged  deep  pits  and 
covered  them  over  with  long  slender  poles  on  which  they 
laid  leafy  branches. 


194  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"By  Hercules,  I  think  we  would  best  sacrifice  a  pig 
to  Sylvanus,  the  forest  god,"  said  Sannio.  "He  is 
spiteful  sometimes,  and  may  do  us  harm  for  desecrat- 
ing this  wood.  I  think  this  must  be  especially  sacred 
to  him.  The  forest  growth  is  so  rank  and  thick." 

"I  imagine  Sylvanus  must  be  so  lonely  here,  he  would 
be  glad  to  have  us  cut  many  more  trees,"  said  Titus. 
"At  any  rate,  I  vow  to  him  the  tall  cypresses  at  home 
on  which  my  father  nails  the  wolf's  head  for  protection, 
if  he  does  us  no  harm  on  account  of  this  evening's  work. 
I  would  take  no  such  risks  in  dangerous  forests  for  any 
one  but  Caesar." 

"Never  worry,"  said  Baculus.  "If  man  protects 
us,  so  tame  a  god  as  Sylvanus  is  not  likely  to  harm  us." 

"I  think  he  stays  only  in  Italy,  anyway,"  said  Caius. 
"He  is  not  worshiped  in  Gaul." 

"You  had  best  fear  only  the  storms  that  fell  the 
trees  and  the  gods  of  the  stars  and  fires  that  dwell 
afar,"  said  the  Gaul;  but  the  others  gave  him  little 
heed. 

And  so  with  many  a  jibe  at  each  other  about  their 
fear  of  Sylvanus,  magic,  fauns,  and  the  like,  albeit  with 
more  of  dread  than  mirth  in  their  hearts,  the  party 
returned  to  camp. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  STANDARD  BEARER   IS  WORSTED  BY  A  BEAST 

ON  the  next  morning,  with  the  first  light,  the  hunting 
party  assembled  in  front  of  the  camp.  Near  the  per- 
son of  Caesar  were  grouped  several  of  his  attendants,  — 
men  who  were  in  Gaul  merely  as  his  friends,  —  among 
them  Trebatius,  Hirtius,  Pansa,  Oppius,  and  Metius. 
Three  or  four  of  his  lieutenants — Quintus  Cicero,  Pe- 
dius,  Cotta,  and  Galba  —  rode  near  him.  Caius,  Bacu- 
lus,  Sannio,  Titus,  and  three  or  four  other  centurions 
had  charge  of  the  following  of  soldiers  who  attended. 

"Let  Crixus  lead  the  van  of  this  gay  army  for  sport," 
said  Caesar.  "Lanius  may  act  as  rear  guard.  As 
there  are  few  enemies  in  our  rear,  he  is  likely  to  have  a 
light  task." 

A  boisterous  laugh  from  the  others  greeted  this  order. 
For  it  had  become  well  known  in  the  army  that  Lanius 
was  ready  for  all  ventures  except  such  as  involved 
personal  risk  or  bodily  danger.  However,  he  dropped 
back  to  the  rear  with  a  scowl  on  his  averted  face. 

Crixus  took  his  place  in  front  as  guide,  a  trumpet 
sounded,  and  the  party  set  off  with  hilarious  shouts 
and  laughter,  and  many  a  jest  and  jibe. 

"What  a  surprise  ! "  said  Caesar.  "And  more  so  to  me 
than  to  any  one  else.  Who  would  have  thought  we 
would  build  a  bridge  across  the  Rhine,  and  march  the 
Roman  army  into  the  wilds  of  Germany  only  to  hunt 
for  strange  beasts  ?  " 

STANDARD    BEARER 13  IQ5 


196  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Truly,"  said  Metius,  lightly,  "we  might  earn  money 
by  taking  these  beasts  for  the  shows  and  the  circuses 
at  the  city." 

"  But  meanwhile  the  business  of  war  would  stop  too 
long,"  said  Caesar.  "Indeed,  I  am  doing  a  rash  thing 
to  leave  the  camp  to-day.  But  I  have  determined  to 
lay  off  all  duties  and  to  have  a  day  of  happy,  heedless 
sport.  To-morrow  we  must  be  busy  again." 

Not  far  from  Caesar  and  his  friends  marched  Titus 
and  Sannio.  They  discussed  the  dangers  of  magic 
and  witchery  which  might  lurk  in  the  mysterious 
intricacies  of  the  great  forest. 

"Will  our  Italian  people  never  learn  that  witches  and 
fauns  and  magic  do  not  exist  and  are  only  names  with 
which  to  conjure  the  ignorant  ?"  said  Caesar,  who  over- 
heard them.  "Here  are  these  two  men,  the  best  of 
soldiers  —  and  hundreds  more  like  them  throughout 
the  army  —  who  believe  that  there  are  secret  dangers 
and  mysteries  and  harmful  spirits  and  gods  in  the 
woods.  They  are  even  yet,  after  all  these  centuries 
of  Roman  civilization,  as  superstitious  as  these  bar- 
barian Gauls.  Hey,  there,  Titus,  why  do  you  fear  the 
forests?" 

"Sir,  I  believe  in  all  the  Roman  gods,  as  my  father 
before  me  has  done,"  replied  Titus,  with  a  low  bow. 
"In  these  dark  forests  I  am  sure  there  are  harmful 
sprites  which  I  cannot  combat.  If  I  could  fight  them 
with  my  sword  and  javelin,  I  would  fear  them  not  at 
all." 

"You  are  right  to  fear  the  gods,  Titus,"  said  Caesar, 
who,  through  policy,  pretended  a  belief  in  the  gods 
long  after  he  held  on  to  a  faith  only  in  fate  and  fortune. 


THE    STANDARD   BEARER   IS   WORSTED    BY  A   BEAST      197 

"But  there  are  no  such  things  as  spirits  or  fauns  or 
magic  to  harm  you." 

"With  your  leave,  I  cannot  help  believing  in  them," 
said  Titus.  "At  home  my  father  keeps  a  wolf's  head 
nailed  on  a  great  cypress  at  the  front  of  the  house  to 
keep  away  evil  spirits.  When  each  of  his  children  was 
born,  three  men  at  night  went  round  to  the  doors  of 
our  home  and  struck  them  with  an  ax,  then  with  a 
pestle,  and  lastly  with  a  broom,  to  propitiate  for  us  -and 
mother  the  good  spirits,  Intercidona,  Pilumnus,  and 
Deverra.  We  sacrifice  to  the  god  Terminus  as  well  as 
to  Jupiter,  Pluto,  and  all  the  rest.  I  feel  even  now  my 
genius  telling  me  that  something  is  going  to  happen 
to-day." 

Caesar  laughed  heartily,  and  said,  "Believe  as  you 
will,  my  good  soldier  Titus.  You  have  all  the  country 
people  of  Italy  with  you,  and  it  is  that  belief  that  makes 
Roman  soldiers  such  unconquerable  heroes,  even  though 
the  whole  Roman  army  did  once  refuse  to  enter  the 
Ciminian  forest."  And  he  turned  to  his  friends  and 
engaged  Hirtius  in  the  discussion  of  Xenophon's  trea- 
tise on  hunting. 

"I  feel  as  you  do,"  said  Sannio,  seriously,  to  Titus. 
"I  am  sure  something  is  going  to  fall  out  wrong  for 
some  of  us  to-day.  By  Jupiter,  but  you  gave  Caesar 
a  good  answer.  But  he  believes  in  none  of  the  gods 
unless  it  be  Fortuna  and  perhaps  Mars." 

Soon  the  party  approached  the  trees  where  the  elks 
were  supposed  to  sleep.  Crixus  had  reached  the  place 
first  and  reported  that  no  elk  lay  stretched  on  the 
ground,  helpless.  Likewise  no  aurochs  had  fallen 
into  the  pits. 


198  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"As  we  are  out  for  sport,"  said  Caesar,  "let  us  proceed 
a  little  farther  and  see  if  we  cannot  find  at  least  a  wild 
boar  to  capture." 

The  party  advanced  and  soon  came  to  ground  that 
rose  gently  before  them.  The  undergrowth  grew  more 
sparsely  and  the  tree  trunks  were  larger.  After  a  little 
time  they  had  reached  the  summit  of  an  eminence  and 
found  that  it  sloped  gradually  away  on  the  other  side 
to  a  small  treeless  plain.  On  the  border  of  this  open 
space,  they  saw  a  small  herd  of  animals  feeding,  all 
unsuspicious  of  danger.  Crixus  declared  it  to  be  a  herd 
of  aurochs.  He  eagerly  repeated  the  wonders  of  their 
fierceness  and  danger  to  man  and  beast. 

It  was  decided  to  separate  the  party  and  to  make  an 
effort  to  surround  the  plain.  The  soldiers  were  to  rush 
upon  them  from  all  sides  at  a  given  signal,  and  endeavor 
to  kill  them  with  their  javelins. 

They  all  dismounted  and  crept  forward.  Spirits, 
witchery,  magic,  and  the  like  were  forgotten.  But 
Titus  kept  near  Caius.  "I  may  owe  Caesar  more  as  a 
soldier,  Caius,  but  I  grew  up  near  you.  I  feel  sure 
something  will  happen.  You  fear  neither  the  magic 
of  the  wood  nor  the  dangers  you  can  see.  I  am  strong 
and  fear  not  those  brutes  yonder.  Perhaps  we  may 
help  each  other.  I  am  sure  something  will  fall  out 
wrong." 

The  two  went  toward  the  place  to  which  they  had 
been  directed,  at  the  farther  end  of  the  little  plain.  A 
bog  at  the  edge  of  the  wood  obstructed  their  advance 
and  delayed  them.  They  had  scarcely  surmounted  this 
difficulty  and  reached  solid  ground  when  it  seemed  that 
there  must  be  some  confusion  as  to  the  signal,  for  the 


THE   STANDARD    BEARER   IS    WORSTED   BY  A   BEAST       199 

animals  which  had  continued  feeding,  now  suddenly 
threw  up  their  heads,  at  the  sound  of  a  trumpet, 
sniffed  the  air,  and  with  a  mad  bellowing  broke  into  a 
thundering  run  across  the  plain.  The  soldiers  with 
loud  yells  broke  cover,  dashed  out  into  the  open,  and 
began  to  pursue.  As  the  signal  had  been  given  too 
soon,  a  great  part  of  the  circuit  of.  the  plain  was  still 
clear  of  any  men  to  check  them.  A  soldier  leaped  out 
from  behind  a  tree  and  hurled  a  javelin.  It  struck  one 
of  the  animals  in  the  shoulder.  With  a  hoarse  bellow 
of  pain  it  dashed  straight  ahead.  The  soldier  turned 
and  ran  toward  where  the  others  were  escaping.  Caius 
and  Titus  had  rushed  out,  intending  to  pursue,  but 
now  that  the  beast  was  coming  so  directly  toward 
them,  they  were  confused  and  hardly  knew  what  to  do. 

"Let's  leap  aside  and  stab  it  as  it  tries  to  pass  us," 
said  Titus.  But  Caius  seemed  not  to  hear,  for  he  had 
run  straight  ahead,  seemingly  with  the  intention  of 
meeting  the  animal  after  its  own  manner.  But  just 
as  the  brute  was  nearly  upon  Caius,  the  latter  leaped 
quickly  to  one  side  and  stabbed.  He  was  too  slow 
and  was  overturned  and  tumbled  headlong  on  the 
thick  grass,  while  the  brute  rushed  blindly  on. 

Then  all  at  once  Caesar  stood  near  its  path.  He  came 
like  a  shadow  from  no  one  knew  where.  But  there  he 
stood,  with  a  javelin  poised,  ready  to  cast  it.  The 
brute  seemed  to  see  him  and  when  it  was  within  six  yards 
of  him  blindly  swerved  directly  toward  him.  Then, 
either  through  excitement  or  over-exertion,  or  because 
attacked  by  one  of  those  seizures  which  annoyed  his 
later  years,  his  lance  dropped  from  his  hand,  his  body 
grew  limp,  his  eyes  rolled  upward,  and  he  crumbled  to 


2OO 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


the  ground.  In  some  way  Titus  had  leaped  in,  and  with 
a  roll  and  a  shove,  had  barely  moved  the  Imperator  out 
of  the  animal's  course.  Titus  was  himself  knocked  head- 
long by  the  outthrust  of  its  hind  legs  as  it  dashed  on. 


The  arm  of  Caius  had  been  hurt,  but  he  was  quickly 
up  and  ran  to  the  spot  where  Caesar  and  Titus  lay. 
Titus  was  not  much  hurt,  and  was  striving  to  rise. 
Caius  helped  him,  and  ran  to  the  marsh  to  bring  a  cap 
of  water.  This  he  threw  on  Caesar's  face  and  also 
bathed  his  hands.  He  was  rewarded  by  seeing  the 


THE   STANDARD    BEARER    IS   WORSTED    BY  A   BEAST      2OI 

eyes  of  the  Proconsul  open;  and  then  Caesar  sat  up. 
"By  Jupiter,  but  I  had  a  narrow  escape,"  he  said. 
"What  happened?" 

The  youth  told  him.  "But  where  did  you  come 
from  so  suddenly  ?"  they  asked. 

"I  had  ridden  this  way,  thinking  that  in  this  quarter 
would  be  the  most  sport.  My  horse  got  entangled  in 
yonder  marsh,  and  I  had  to  leave  him  there.  I  got  to 
hard  ground  just  in  time  to  see  that  great  brute  rush 
out.  I  wanted  to  take  a  part  in  the  sport,  and  thus  I 
was  here  before  either  of  you  knew  it.  And  so  it  was 
Titus  that  dragged  me  out  of  the  way  ?  He  told  me 
this  morning  that  something  would  happen.  Well,  so 
it  has.  You  deserve  my  eternal  favor,  Titus,  and  you 
have  it.  You  shall  be  made  a  centurion  of  the  first 
rank  to-morrow.  But  let  me  charge  you  :  say  nothing 
about  this  seizure  of  mine.  I  do  not  wish  it  known 
among  the  soldiers  that  I  am  subject  to  them.  Speak 
not  of  it,  I  say  to  you  once  again.  But  let  us  see  if  my 
horse  can  be  pried  from  the  marsh.  Call  some  of  the 
soldiers." 

They  walked  to  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  not  far 
away,  near  a  huge,  broad-headed  white-stemmed 
beech,  they  found  the  aurochs  struggling  in  one  of  the 
pits  which  the  men  had  digged. 


203 


.-., 


THE  COMMANDER  is  NOT  SACRIFICED 
204 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  COMMANDER  EXERCISES  CLEMENCY 

AFTER  some  two  weeks  spent  in  Germany,  Caesar  led 
his  army  back  into  Gaul,  and  broke  down  the  bridge. 
When  he  had  gone  a  short  distance  into  the  Gallic 
territory,  he  built  a  strong  camp,  with  a  four-story 
tower,  and  left  Caius  with  five  cohorts  of  the  Tenth 
legion  to  hold  it.  They  were  to  watch  the  proceedings 
of  the  Gauls  in  those  parts,  as  well  as  to  keep  an  eye 
on  the  fords  of  the  river  and  the  doings  of  the  Germans. 

"Stay  in  the  camp,  Caius,  as  much  as  possible," 
he  said.  "It  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  collect  a 
part  of  the  winter  supply  of  grain  for  the  soldiers,  but 
it  is  near  the  camp.  The  Gauls  at  present  pretend 
peace.  But  they  are  a  fickle  and  changeable  people 
above  all  others  I  have  known.  They  will  be  ready  to 
attack  and  destroy  you  if  opportunity  occurs.  If  they 
do  attack  you,  fight  them  stoutly,  always  taking  ad- 
vantage of  them  in  any  way  you  can.  Meanwhile,  send 
a  messenger  to  me,  and  I  will  bring  or  send  you  aid." 

"I  will  do  my  best  to  obey  you,  sir,"  said  Caius. 
"I  do  not  see  why  I  am  thus  honored,  but  I  will  do  all 
I  can.  Baculus  can  advise  me,  and  with  the  cohorts 
of  the  Tenth,  I  think  I  can  keep  back  a  great  force  of 
Gauls." 

"I  trust  you,  and  I  fear  not  the  results,"  said  Caesar. 

The  camp  was  built  and  provided  as  a  winter  camp. 
Instead  of  tents,  log  huts  were  built  for  the  soldiers. 
A  large  supply  of  wheat  and  barley  were  to  be  stored 

205 


2O6  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

in  the  quaestorium,  and  several  wells  were  digged  to 
furnish  water  within  the  walls.  The  men  left  were 
seasoned  veterans,  among  them  Sannio,  Baculus, 
Titus,  and  several  others  whom  Caius  knew  for  cool- 
ness and  bravery  in  danger. 

Caius  was  surprised  toward  night  of  the  day  on  which 
Caesar  went  away  to  see  Lanius  and  several  of  his  com- 
panions come  riding  back  to  the  camp,  and  demand 
admittance.  All  together,  with  their  servants  there 
were  some  fifty  of  them.  Lanius  showed  a  letter 
from  Caesar  commanding  Caius  to  admit  them  and 
provide  him  and  his  followers  with  the  best  quarters 
and  food  in  the  camp. 

Caius  doubted  the  validity  of  the  letter,  for  he  could 
see  no  reason  why  Caesar  had  sent  him  such  a  command 
regarding  a  man  whom  he  had  publicly  insulted  only  a 
few  days  previously.  Yet  there  was  the  letter  with 
Caesar's  seal,  and  all  he  could  do  was  to  admit  him  and 
treat  him  and  his  companions  as  well  as  he  could. 

They  were  no  sooner  in  the  camp  than  they  began  to 
be  boisterous  and  insulting  to  men  and  officers.  They 
seized  on  some  of  the  huts  and  drove  out  their  occu- 
pants. They  had  their  slaves  to  fling  the  arms  and 
baggage  of  the  owners  into  the  streets  of  the  camp. 
They  even  beat  several  of  the  legionaries  who  objected  to 
leaving  their  huts.  Others  they  commanded  to  bring 
water  for  them  and  their  horses.  Their  loud  laughter 
and  insolent  looks  and  acts  showed  that  they  meant  to 
carry  things  with  a  high  hand. 

At  length,  Caius  remonstrated  with  Lanius,  who 
seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  party.  At  this  Lanius 
braced  himself  erect,  and  assumed  his  haughtiest  air. 


THE    COMMANDER    EXERCISES    CLEMENCY  2&J 

"I  am  a  free  man  among  free  men,  and  shame  to  face 
no  man.  I  own  three  villas  and  much  money  at  Rome. 
I  feed  - 

"I  am  not  concerned  with  all  this  talk,"  broke  in 
Caius.  "I  have  nothing  to  do  with  what  you  own  or 
what  you  feed.  But  Caesar  has  left  me  in  command 
of  this  camp,  and  given  me  certain  orders  concern- 
ing it.  I  intend  to  carry  them  out.  Now,  unless 
you  and  your  friends  behave  more  decently,  you  will 
not  be  a  free  man  much  longer,  for  I  shall  have  you 
put  in  chains." 

"Surely,  you  jest/'  sneered  Lanius.  "Put  me  in 
chains  !  Lanius,  a  rich  Roman  noble,  put  in  chains  by 
an  upstart  of  a  shepherd  like  you  ?  Wealthy  and 
honored  as  I  am,"  he  went  on,  "I  have  tried  to  treat 
you  as  a  patrician.  Yet  have  you  refused  to  accept 
my  kindness,  and  now  you  threaten  to  put  me  in 
chains  !  Bah,  by  Pollux,  I  defy  you.  You  may  not 
remember  that  Caesar  is  not  here  to  give  you  his  aid 
in  your  great  threat." 

"I  remember  that  I  am  in  command  here,  and  have 
given  you  warning,"  said  Caius,  and  he  walked  away. 

Lanius  looked  after  him  a  moment,  and  then  broke 
into  a  loud  jeering  laugh.  Caius  half  turned,  but 
recovered  himself  and  went  on  to  his  hut. 

The  disturbance  increased,  and  true  to  his  threat, 
Caius  had  Lanius  and  several  of  the  most  turbulent 
of  his  companions  put  in  chains.  The  others  subsided 
into  quiet. 

Late  in  the  night,  Lanius  sent  to  beg  that  he  might 
see  Caius.  The  latter,  after  some  hesitation,  went  to 
the  hut  where  Lanius  was  confined. 


208 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


"Sir,  I  earnestly  beg  your  pardon  for  my  conduct 
to-day,"  said  Lanius,  throwing  himself  at  Caius's  feet. 
"I  am  undone  and  ruined  if  you  tell  Caesar  of  my 
doings.  He  suspects  me  already,  and  insulted  me 


cruelly  on  the  day  of  the  hunt.  I  have  done  my  best 
to  be  a  faithful  and  useful  man  in  Gaul,  and  yet  he 
does  not  trust  me,  and  seems  never  to  think  me  in 


THE    COMMANDER    EXERCISES    CLEMENCY  2O9 

the  least  worthy  of  an  office.  A  few  nights  ago  I  secured 
his  seal  and  had  one  made  like  it.  When  we  left  this 
morning,  I  had  grown  desperate  and  did  not  care. 
With  my  friends,  we  lagged  behind,  and  plundered  a 
small  group  of  Gallic  merchants  and  farmers.  They 
vowed  vengeance,  and  said  they  would  appeal  to  Caesar. 
Then  we  were  afraid  to  follow  Caesar  further,  and  so  we 
came  back  here.  I  do  not  know  what  madness  pos- 
sessed us  to  behave  as  we  did,  except  that  you  have 
scorned  all  my  efforts  to  be  friendly.  I  do  not  know 
why  you  have  done  so  unless  because  I  jested  with 
you  at  Spoletum  before  I  knew  that  you  were  of  any 
consequence.  I  am  undone  and  ruined.  What  shall 
I  do  ?  I  can't  go  to  Caesar.  My  acquaintances  will 
despise  me  if  I  go  to  Rome.  I  have  made  the  Gauls 
my  enemies,  and  put  myself  at  your  mercy.  I  am 
ruined,  ruined,  ruined!"  And  he  groveled  on  the 
earthen  floor  and  moaned  piteously. 

Caius  could  but  despise  his  contemptible  meanness 
and  cowardice,  nor  could  he  help  feeling  pity  for  him. 

"It  is  possible  the  Gauls  will  not  report  your  act 
to  Caesar,"  said  Caius.  "If  you  give  no  further  trouble 
here,  I  will  say  nothing  to  him  of  your  behavior  in 
camp.  I  am  willing  to  help  you  to  have  one  more 
chance." 

"By  Pollux,  will  you?"  exclaimed  Lanius,  leaping 
up.  "You  are  splendid.  I  promise  you  no  further 
trouble,  and  I  will  do  more.  If  you  ever  come  to  Rome, 
I  will  help  you  to  have  a  great  deal  of  pleasure." 

"That  is  enough,"  said  Caius,  with  a  smile.  "I  may 
never  come  to  Rome.  Guard,  release  this  man  and 
guide  him  to  his  hut." 


CHAPTER   II 
THE   COMMANDER   IS   ATTACKED   BY  THE  ENEMY 

THE  next  morning  Caius  took  about  half  his  men  and 
went  to  collect  grain.  This  was  repeated  for  several 
days.  He  left  Lanius  with  reluctance,  for  he  had  never 
brought  himself  to  trust  the  intentions  of  the  man. 
But  as  Baculus  was  somewhat  ill  and  remained  in  the 
camp,  and  could  be  depended  upon,  Caius  felt  the  less 
hesitation.  He  usually  took  with  him  the  greater 
part  of  the  strong  well  men,  for  he  was  anxious  to  finish 
collecting  stores  before  the  cold  of  the  winter  should 
be  upon  them. 

On  the  fifth  day,  when  Caius  with  the  foraging  party- 
was  returning,  and  had  come  within  a  mile  of  the  camp 
and  stood  upon  the  summit  of  a  hill  that  overlooked 
the  country,  he  saw  men  in  Gallic  costume  and  with 
Gallic  standards,  swarming  around  the  camp.  At 
the  same  time  hoarse  shouts  of  derision  and  defiance 
were  borne  to  his  ears  through  the  distance.  Almost 
at  the  moment,  he  saw  the  Gauls  attacking  the  camp, 
and  he  could  see  only  a  few  Romans  on  the  ramparts, 
making  efforts  to  beat  them  back. 

"Forward,  men,  at  a  forced  gait.  We  must  hasten. 
We  may  be  too  late  for  the  fighting,"  he  said. 

"Come,  centurion  Vorenus,  you  chicken,"  now 
called  out  Titus.  "You  have  long  boasted  that  you 
were  the  braver  man  and  the  better  soldier.  Let  us 
see  who  shall  be  first  to  the  camp." 

210 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    ATTACKED    BY   THE    ENEMY      211 

"Well  enough,"  replied  Vorenus,  stoutly.  "I  am 
sure  I  shall  be  there  first  and  cut  down  a  Gaul  before  you 
reach  the  place." 

There  was  time  for  no  other  clash  between  the  two ; 
for  they  had  broken  into  a  rapid  run,  closely  followed  J 


by  all  the  other    soldiers,  with  their    armor  slapping 
and  jangling  as  they  ran. 

Vorenus  and  Titus  had  disputed  time  and  again 
as  to  who  was  the  better  man,  and  would  first  be  pro- 
moted. They  had  wrestled,  boxed,  and  even  fought, 
almost  daily.  Neither  ever  let  slip  an  opportunity 
to  jibe  or  taunt  the  other. 

STANDARD    BEARER 14 


212  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Vorenus  was  the  more  slender  and  lithe  of  the  two 
centurions.  He  and  Titus  now  raced  as  for  life. 
Vorenus  soon  left  Titus  behind,  and  by  the  time  the 
latter  and  the  other  men  came  up,  Vorenus  had  already 
reached  the  enemies'  rear,  had  engaged  three  or  four 
of  the  hindmost,  and  true  to  his  prophecy,  had  stabbed 
one  to  the  death. 

"By  the  sacred  standard,  but  I  told  you  I  would  do 
so,"  good-humoredly  shouted  Vorenus  to  Titus,  as  the 
latter  came  up,  panting  and  gasping  for  breath. 

"I  am  not  a  horse  to  beat  you  running,"  retorted 
Titus,  forgetting  that  it  was  he  who  had  challenged  the 
other  to  the  race.  "  But  I  am  the  better  fighter.  Just 
see  me,  now."  And  leaping  to  the  ranks,  he  called  to 
his  century  and  was  soon  in  the  thick  of  his  fighting. 

Caius  had  heard  the  two  centurions,  but  with  only 
slight  attention,  for  he  knew  that  the  camp  was  in  the 
greatest  peril.  Most  of  the  men  were  the  weaker 
and  the  less  bold  of  the  legion.  Several  were  sick. 
Baculus  was  the  only  man  in  the  camp  that  could  be 
depended  upon  for  any  spirit  or  energy,  and  he  had 
lain  sick  for  five  days  without  taking  any  food.  The 
young  commander  realized  with  a  great  gulp  in  the 
throat  how  imprudent  he  had  been  to  leave  the  camp 
so  defenseless. 

He  knew  there  would  be  hard  fighting  to  win  into 
the  camp  through  all  that  mass  of  Gauls ;  for  now  he 
saw  the  soldiers  flying  into  the  camp.  Only  in  one 
place  near  the  gate  was  there  for  but  a  moment  some 
show  of  stout  resistance  to  the  attackers.  And  then 
he  saw  Baculus  fall  as  though  dead.  The  other  Romans 
near  the  old  centurion  rallied  for  a  moment,  and 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    ATTACKED    BY   THE    ENEMY      213 

fought  fiercely  against  the  Gauls  who  surged  around. 
Baculus  was  lifted  by  the  Roman  nearest  to  him  and 
passed  to  the  next  man,  and  so  on  into  the  camp. 

"By  Hercules,"  exclaimed  Caius.  "He  must  have 
been  killed.  He  has  eaten  nothing  for  these  five  days." 

The  Gauls  were  taken  somewhat  unawares,  but 
they  faced  about  and  boldly  attacked  the  Romans. 
After  a  short  time  of  stiff  fighting,  Caius  and  his  party 
broke  through,  and  entered  the  camp. 

Then  the  leader  of  the  Gauls  desired  a  parley.  He 
called  for  the  commander  of  the  camp  to  show  himself 
upon  the  ramparts.  Caius  demanded  that  the  Gauls 
retire  to  a  javelin's  throw  from  the  camp.  After  they 
had  done  so,  Caius  mounted  the  wall. 

"What  do  you  desire,  worthy  chief?"  he  asked. 

"We  have  attacked  the  Romans  because  some  of 
our  merchants  and  farmers  were  robbed  a  few  days 
ago.  Caesar  promised  us  safety  and  peace.  We  know 
that  those  who  robbed  us  are  in  your  camp.  If  you 
will  give  them  up  to  us,  we  will  go  away." 

The  Roman  youth  felt  that  Lanius  ought  to  be  sur- 
rendered. Yet  it  could  not  be  suffered  that  a  Roman 
should  deliver  a  Roman  to  a  barbarian  enemy.  So  he 
refused.  But  he  endeavored  to  appease  the  Gauls  by 
offering  to  pay  for  their  loss  at  the  hands  of  Lanius. 

"We  want  his  blood,"  shouted  the  leader.  "He  has 
taken  blood  from  our  veins,  and  we  will  only  be  satisfied 
with  his.  If  you  will  not  give  him  up  to  us,  we  will 
send  for  our  allies  and  besiege  your  camp." 

"I  will  not  give  him  up  to  you,"  said  Caius,  and  he 
went  down  from  the  ramparts  into  the  camp. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE   COMMANDER  HOLDS  THE  CAMP 

THE  Romans  were  busy  late  that  night  sharpening 
their  swords,  piling  stones  on  the  ramparts  for  hurling 
upon  the  enemy,  and  otherwise  making  ready  for  a 
siege,  spurred  on  by  the  shouts  and  threats  of  the  be- 
siegers. 

Suddenly,  as  they  worked,  upon  a  hill  near  the  camp, 
they  saw  a  tall  bright  flame  shoot  up,  burn  brightly  for 
some  minutes,  and  then  disappear. 

"That  is  a  signal  for  help,"  said  Baculus.  "The 
Gauls  send  messages  in  that  way  for  hundreds  of  miles 
in  a  few  hours.  What  see  you  from  the  top  of  the 
tower,  Statius?"  he  called  to  the  watchman  there 
posted. 

"A  moment  ago,  I  saw  a  tall  flame  shoot  forth  from 
yonder  hill,"  replied  the  watchman.  "Now  I  see 
others  and  still  others  farther  and  farther  away. 
They  send  a  message  of  some  sort." 

"True,  they  send  a  message,"  said  Caius.  "By 
to-morrow  they  will  begin  to  flock  here  from  all  direc- 
tions. Every  cutthroat  and  every  dissatisfied  Gaul 
for  leagues  about,  as  well  as  whole  tribes,  will  come  to 
besiege  us  as  they  did  Cotta  and  Cicero.  We  can 
doubtless  beat  them  off,  but  we  must  make  ready." 

And  the  Romans  worked,  while  the  Gauls  made 
merry  over  the  prey  that  had  fallen  into  their  hands. 
Ever  and  anon  the  Romans  heard  the  greetings  and 

214 


THE    COMMANDER   HOLDS   THE    CAMP  215 

shouts  of  fresh  recruits,  and  they  knew  that  with  the 
coming  of  day  there  would  be  many  a  hard  blow  to  strike. 

With  the  first  light,  the  Gauls  began  to  press  about 
the  camp  and  urge  the  Romans  to  give  up,  as  there  was 
no  hope  for  them.  And  indeed,  it  appeared  as  though 
they  spoke  truly,  for  during  the  night  their  forces  had 
vastly  increased  by  the  new  arrivals.  Then  they 
taunted  the  Romans  with  cowardice  and  dared  them 
to  come  out  in  the  open  and  fight  like  brave  men. 

"Only  cowards  and  weaklings  fight  behind  walls 
or  play  some  trick  of  strategy/'  said  their  leader. 
"The  Romans  never  beat  us  except  with  walls  and 
tricks.  Come  out  and  fight  if  you  be  brave  men." 

In  every  part  of  the  circuit  of  the  walls,  the  soldiers 
listened  to  similar  taunts.  They  were  only  prevented 
from  leaping  over  the  walls  and  fighting  their  tormentors 
by  a  strict  order  from  Caius  not  to  hurl  a  single  missile 
nor  leave  their  posts,  unless  the  Gauls  first  attacked. 
But  a  particularly  provoking  group  of  Gauls  laughed 
and  shouted  and  hurled  taunts  and  insults  upon  the 
Romans  where  Titus  was  posted  near  the  century  of 
Vorenus. 

"Come  over  and  fight  if  you  be  men,"  they  called. 
"But  you  dare  not  leave  your  walls.  You  are  women 
and  cowards.  Not  one  of  you  dare  leave  your  walls." 

This  was  continued.  It  was  soon  more  than  Titus 
could  endure.  "By  our  wolfs  head,"  he  swore,  "I 
will  show  you  what  a  Roman  fighter  will  do  without 
walls  or  tricks.  Now,  Vorenus,"  he  called  aloud  so  all 
the  soldiers  of  their  century  could  hear,  "now  this  is 
the  time  to  prove  our  claims  to  manhood  as  well  as  to 
teach  these  impudent  vultures  a  lesson.  Our  conten- 


2l6  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

tion  has  already  been  too  long.  Why  should  we  this 
morning  hesitate  to  prove  ourselves  ?  What  better 
place  shall  we  ever  find  ?  This  day  shall  decide  for  us. 
Come  on,  and  follow  me." 

And  before  Caius  could  prevent  him,  Titus  had 
leaped  from  the  wall,  followed  by  Vorenus,  and  both 
almost  on  the  instant  were  scrambling  up  the  outer 
wall  of  the  ditch.  The  next  moment,  Titus  had  hurled 
his  bull-like  body  upon  the  most  closely  packed  part 
of  the  Gallic  line.  He  drove  his  heavy  javelin  clear 
through  a  big  Gaul,  who  fell  with  a  screech  of  pain. 
The  Gauls  protected  their  fallen  comrade  with  their 
shields,  and  cast  a  shower  of  javelins  upon  Titus,  most 
of  which  rattled  harmlessly  upon  his  strong,  iron- 
covered  shield.  But  one  of  the  shafts,  more  stoutly 
hurled,  pierced  his  shield,  and  clung  in  his  belt,  twisting 
it  far  around  his  body,  thus  pulling  his  sword  from 
his  side  to  his  back.  The  Gauls  pressed  closer  upon 
him,  with  cut  and  thrust.  He  reached  for  his  sword, 
and  missed  it.  The  delay  almost  proved  his  ruin, 
for  at  the  moment  when  he  finally  secured  it  from  his 
back,  the  blows  were  falling  so  furiously  upon  him, 
he  could  scarce  stand.  Vorenus  was  upon  them  with 
such  skill  that  he  drove  them  back  and  still  back, 
until  not  one  would  come  near  him.  But  in  his  eager- 
ness he  dropped  unexpectedly  into  a  hole.  Again 
the  Gauls  rushed  to  kill  him,  but  Titus,  raging  and 
fighting  like  a  madman,  drove  them  away.  So  it  was 
the  two  were  still  safe  and  had  each  saved  the  life  of 
the  other.  And  now  in  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
Caius  shouted  from  the  ramparts,  they  slowly,  with 
faces  to  the  enemy,  returned  within  the  walls. 


THE    COMMANDER   HOLDS    THE    CAMP  217 

The  Gauls  began  and  kept  up  an  attack  on  the  camp 
on  all  sides  for  an  hour  or  more,  but  it  was  fought 
mostly  with  missiles.  At  the  end  of  this  time  they 
withdrew  to  a  distance  and  built  great  fires.  The 
Romans  saw  them  then  busy  making  great  numbers 
of  balls  from  stiff  mud.  These  they  cast  into  the  fires. 
They  also  burned  to  points  great  heaps  of  small  poles, 
cut  from  the  surrounding  woods. 

When  this  work  had  gone  on  for  some  three  hours, 
the  Romans  were  startled  by  the  shouts  and  cheers  of  a 
new  band  of  arrivals.  Looking  out  upon  them,  they 
saw  that  the  last  comers  were  enough  to  more  than 
double  the  number  of  besiegers.  They  had  soon  dis- 
posed themselves  about  the  Roman  camp,  a  solid  mass 
ten  men  deep. 

Baculus,  a  little  recovered  from  his  wounds  and 
sickness,  watched  their  movements  with  the  light  of 
battle  in  his  eyes,  but  still  heavy  doubt  sat  upon  his 
face. 

"Caius,  you  are  commander,"  he  said,  "and  have 
doubtless  learned  from  Caesar  many  of  the  things  that  I 
do  not  know.  I  have  been  in  many  a  hard  battle 
from  Spain  to  Gaul,  and  have  always  fought  out. 
But  this  looks  the  worst  chance  I  ever  saw.  Why, 
there  are  at  least  twenty  of  them  to  one  of  us.  If 
they  had  any  artifice  at  all,  they  would  hold  our  camp 
inside  of  an  hour." 

"By  Pluto,"  put  in  Sanhio,  "it  looks  as  though  I 
might  never  enjoy  the  spending  of  my  treasure.  I 
wish  my  mother  had  it.  I  much  begrudge  it  to  yonder 
speckled,  spotted,  striped  barbarians." 

But  there  was  little  time  for  talk  as  well  as  little 


21 8  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

desire  for  it.  Posted  at  some  distance  from  the 
camp,  the  Gauls  now  began  to  hurl  upon  it  the  red-hot 
balls  of  clay  which  they  had  made.  The  Romans 
dreaded  them,  for  wherever  they  touched  they  scorched 
and  seared  the  flesh  with  cruel  pain.  A  perfect  storm 
of  the  balls  rained  upon  the  camp.  Soon  one  of  the 
huts  had  caught  fire  from  them,  and  the  flames  leaped 
forth  and  up  with  a  threatening  crackle.  The  soldiers 
quickly  extinguished  them.  But  three  more  of  the 
huts  burst  into  flame.  They  rushed  to  these,  and 
now  a  dozen  were  on  fire,  and  the  lurid  flames  were 
lapping  and  licking  in  all  directions,  fanned  by  the  stiff 
breeze  that  began  to  sweep  over  the  camp. 

Then  with  a  rush  and  a  yell,  the  mass  of  the  Gauls 
dashed  with  horrid  yells  and  a  rumbling  rush  upon  the 
camp.  Hundreds  of  them  carried  bundles  of  brush 
with  which  they  quickly  filled  the  ditch.  Then  they 
climbed  and  pushed  right  up  the  walls  to  the  wooden 
rampart. 

The  Romans  had  left  the  huts  to  burn,  and  now  stood 
on  the  walls  to  meet  the  enemy.  Despite  the  knowledge 
that  all  their  baggage  and  property  were  being  crumbled 
to  ashes,  every  soldier  stood  to  his  place  and  fought, 
almost  stifled  by  the  billows  of  smoke  and  sparks  that 
rolled  about  them.  The  fire  raged  hotter  and  fiercer  as 
the  Gauls  pressed  harder  and  nearer.  Groans  and 
screams  of  men  wounded  unto  death  mingled  with  the 
crackle  and  roar  of  the  whisking  flames.  Many 
Romans  fell,  overcome  by  the  heat,  and  many  Gauls 
for  the  same  cause  dropped  upon  the  earth,  where  they 
were  either  rolled  carelessly  into  the  muddy  waters 
of  the  ditch  or  trampled  to  death  where  they  lay. 


THE    COMMANDER   HOLDS   THE    CAMP  219 

For  three  hours  the  attack  lasted.  Finally,  when  the 
flames  had  subsided,  the  Romans,  breathing  more 
freely,  fought  more  vigorously,  and  soon  drove  the 
Gauls  away. 

The  besiegers,  thus  beaten  off,  drew  away  out  of 
javelin  cast,  and,  after  the  Roman  manner,  began  to 
build  a  wall  and  ditch  about  the  Roman  camp.  As 
they  had  no  picks,  spades,  or  dirt  baskets,  they  dug 
the  earth  with  their  swords,  and  carried  it  into  place 
with  their  thick  heavy  blankets.  In  an  incredibly 
short  time,  the  thousands  of  Gauls  had  finished  their 
work,  and  the  Romans  found  their  own  walls  encom- 
passed by  a  second  wall,  behind  which  lay  an  enemy, 
seemingly  determined  to  besiege  them. 

"They  know  our  stores  of  provision  were  destroyed 
by  the  fire,"  said  Caius,  "and  they  mean  to  set  them- 
selves dt)wn  here  and  starve  us  out.  We  must  make  a 
sally  and  drive  them  away." 

"That  will  never  do,"  said  Baculus.  "I  love  a 
fight  above  all  things ;  but  we  can  never  cut  our  way 
through  those  walls  of  men.  We  are  already  wearied 
with  fighting,  and  have  had  nothing  to  eat  since  the 
morning.  Now  there  is  nothing  for  the  men  to  eat, 
so  they  will  be  strong  enough  to  fight.  Best  try  if 
you  can  send  a  messenger  to  Caesar  for  help." 

"Truly,  Caius,"  said  Sannio,  "I  believe  for  once 
Baculus  is  right,  especially  about  something  to  eat. 
No  matter  how  other  things  may  press,  I  find  it  most 
difficult  to  argue  with  my  stomach,  for  it  has  no  ears." 

"I  trust  your  experience,  Baculus,"  said  Caius.  "If 
a  messenger  must  be  sent,  the  sooner  the  better.  Let 
us  call  the  men  to  an  assembly." 


22O  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

As  he  passed  on  his  way  to  the  praetorium,  he  heard 
three  or  four  of  the  legionaries  talking  and  laughing, 
despite  their  burns  and  wounds.  It  seemed  that  they 
had  seen  Lanius  attempt  to  shelter  himself  in  one  of 
the  huts  when  the  fighting  began.  They  had  seen  him 
run  out  with  his  tunic  in  a  blaze  soon  after  the  fire 
started.  To  them  his  dread  of  fight  and  fire  had  been 
equally  ridiculous. 

"Poor  wretch,"  said  Caius  to  himself.  "I  wonder 
why  Caesar  has  allowed  so  useless  a  creature  to  follow 
the  army  these  years.  But  I  guess  he  must  expect 
to  have  some  use  for  him  somewhere.  Caesar  makes 
and  holds  friends  everywhere  he  can,  or  I  should  have 
publicly  accused  this  scoundrel  to  him  long  before 


now." 


The  trumpets  sounded,  and  the  men  came  dragging 
themselves  to  the  praetorium — those  who  were  able. 
But  even  of  these  most  were  hurt,  some  with  arrows 
and  javelins,  others  burnt  with  the  red  balls,  and  still 
others  blistered  and  scorched  and  half  stifled  by  the 
flames. 

Caius**  mounted  the  tribunal,  and  said :  "  Fellow 
soldiers,  not  to  deceive  you,  we  are  in  a  close  place, 
near  our  last  extremes.  You  have  fought  like  good 
and  brave  men.  But  we  are  without  food  and  shelter, 
and  cold  and  hunger  fight  against  us  as  well  as  those 
Gauls.  We  cannot  long  hold  out  against  them  all, 
unless  we  have  help.  I  wish  a  man  who  will  undertake 
to  find  his  way  through  the  lines  of  our  enemy  and  carry 
a  message  to  Caesar.  Who  will  go  ?" 

At  once  a  dozen  stepped  forward.  Among  the  num- 
ber were  Sannio,  Baculus,  Titus,  and  Vorenus. 


THE    COMMANDER   HOLDS   THE    CAMP  221 

"I  cannot  spare  you,  Baculus,  for  your  advice  is 
needed  by  me,"  Caius  said.  "Sannio,  you  would 
stop  to  joke  with  the  first  man  you  met.  Titus  and 
Vorenus  fight  too  well  to  be  spared.  But  Baculus  may 
name  a  man  of  the  other  volunteers,  and  he  in  turn 
may  name  a  second  after  the  manner  of  the  good  old 
Roman  custom.  Who  shall  be  named  first,  Baculus  ?" 

"  Porcius,  here,  once  carried  such  a  message  in  Spain," 
said  Baculus.  "I  name  him." 

A  smile  of  joy  arid  pride  spread  over  the  face  of 
Porcius.  "Right  gladly  will  I  go,"  he  said.  "I  will 
fool  the  Gauls  and  steal  through  their  camp  and  they 
will  never  know  it." 

"But  you  are  to  name  another  man,  so  that  in  case 
you  fail,  the  other  may  go,"  said  Caius.  "Who  shall 
he  be?" 

"I  am  willing  to  go  alone,"  said  Porcius.  "But  since 
it  is  the  custom  and  also  your  command,  I  choose 
Lollius.  He  is  sly  as  well  as  brave." 

And  so  it  was  arranged.  Late  that  night,  when  quiet 
fell  upon  the  Gallic  camp  as  though  they  were  all 
asleep,  probably  weary  with  the  day's  labor  and  fight- 
ing, the  two  Romans  slid  down  from  the  Roman  ram- 
parts on  opposite  sides  of  the  camp  and  disappeared  like 
ghosts  into  the  shadows.  But  the  men  had  hardly 
time  to  breathe  with  the  thought  of  relief  to  come,  when 
a  jangle  of  armor  and  a  shout  among  the  Gauls  broke 
upon  the  stillness. 

At  day  the  Romans  saw  Porcius  and  Lollius  hanging 
head  downward  upon  low  crosses,  while  the  Gauls 
surrounded  them  and  pricked  them  with  their  swords 
or  cut  away  their  ears  and  noses.  One  Gaul  gouged 


222  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

out  an  eye  for  Porcius  and  then  another  cut  out  his 
tongue.  The  two  men  bore  their  torture  in  silence, 
till  they  died. 

The  Romans  upon  the  walls  were  restrained  only  by 
the  knowledge  that  their  hungry  few  had  not  the  slight- 
est chance  to  break  over  the  Gallic  walls  and  rescue 
their  comrades. 

And  so  no  message  had  gone.  The  Gauls  did  not 
attack.  They  contented  themselves  with  taunting 
the  Romans  with  cowardice  and  failure,  secure  in  the 
belief  that  the  Romans  could  not  escape. 

At  night,  a  hundred  men  offered  to  make  another 
effort  to  take  a  message.  "As  well  we  few  die  trying 
to  take  a  message  as  for  all  the  garrison  to  starve 
here,"  they  said. 

Caius  selected  Vertico,  a  Gallic  slave  of  one  of  the 
soldiers.  "If  you  win  your  way  to  Caesar,  you  shall 
have  freedom  and  enough  gold  to  buy  a  farm  and  a 
hundred  head  of  cattle  to  stock  it  with,"  said  Caius  to 
him.  "Dress  in  your  Gallic  garments  and  go." 

The  Gaul  did  as  he  was  bidden,  and  through  the 
darkness  passed  silently  out  of  the  camp.  Nothing 
further  was  heard  of  him,  and  so  the  garrison  had  hopes 
that  he  had  escaped  to  Caesar. 

Now,  day  after  day,  the  men  waited  and  suffered 
with  pain  and  hunger.  Caius  had  all  he  could  do  to 
keep  them  from  breaking  from  the  camp  and  making  a 
dash  to  escape  through  the  enemy.  At  last,  on  the 
fifth  day,  while  in  the  tall  four-story  tower,  which  had 
escaped  the  fire,  he  chanced  to  notice  a  Roman  javelin 
sticking  in  a  beam.  He  wondered  at  this,  and  looked 
more  closely.  Then  he  saw  that  a  small  roll  of  papyrus 


THE  COMMANDER  HOLDS  THE  CAMP 


223 


was  attached  to  it.  He  twisted  the  javelin  free,  and 
unrolled  the  papyrus.  A  few  words  in  Greek  read, 
"Be  courageous,  expect  aid/' 

He  went  down  and  summoned  the  men  and  told  them 
what  he  had  found.     "Let  us  wait,"  he  said.     "Caesar 


will  come.     Vertico  reached  Caesar,  and  has  returned 
to  hurl  this  into  our  camp." 

Toward  night  of  the  next  day,  the  Roman  soldiers  saw 
the  Gauls,  without  apparent  reason,  begin  to  scatter  in 


224  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

all  directions,  many  even  leaving  their  arms.  Soon 
not  an  enemy  was  in  sight. 

"They  play  us  a  trick,"  said  Caius.  "We  must 
stay  in  the  camp." 

"Not  the  Gauls  to  play  a  trick  or  perform  a  strata- 
gem," said  Baculus.  "They  have  heard  that  Caesar 
is  coming.  I  am  sure  we  shall  be  relieved  before  the 
night  is  old." 

And  even  as  he  spoke,  the  standards  of  three  legions 
appeared  on  the  hills,  the  bugles  sang  cheerily,  and 
help  was  at  hand. 

Caesar  himself  had  come.  He  praised  the  men  for 
their  courage  and  fortitude  and  commended  Caius  and 
Baculus  most  heartily.  He  heard  the  story  of  Titus 
and  Vorenus  and  promoted  the  former  toward  the  right 
and  the  front  of  the  legion. 

"I  do  not  see  why  I  too  was  not  promoted,"  later 
said  Vorenus  to  Titus. 

"Perhaps  you  never  hunted  with  the  Proconsul," 
stolidly  replied  Titus.  And  to  the  inquiries  of  Vorenus 
as  to  what  he  meant,  he  would  answer  not  another  word. 

That  night  when  all  had  eaten  and  rested,  as  Caius 
walked  about  the  camp,  he  overheard  Lanius  telling 
a  group  of  soldiers  how  he  had  fought.  They  listened 
with  slight  interest,  for  they  had  heard  the  story  of  his 
hiding. 

But  no  man  was  happier  than  Vertico.  He  was 
already  planning  the  management  of  his  farm  and 
cattle. 


CHAPTER   IV 
THE  COMMANDER   PLAYS  THE   SPY 

DURING  the  following  winter,  the  Tenth  legion  with 
Labienus  in  command  was  stationed  among  the  Ner- 
vians.  Caius  happened  to  learn  that  Labienus  had 
ordered  one  of  the  Roman  scouts  to  dress  as  a  Gaul 
and  go  to  Bagacum,  the  chief  city  of  the  Nervians. 
Here  the  men  of  that  nation  were  about  to  have  an 
assembly,  ostensibly  to  celebrate  some  Druidistic  rite, 
but  Labienus  had  reason  to  believe  that  in  fact  it  was 
for  the  purpose  of  fomenting  an  uprising  against  the 
Romans. 

Caius  saw  the  scout  in  his  Gallic  disguise  as  he  left 
the  camp,  and  it  set  the  young  Roman  to  thinking. 
He  had  never  ceased  to  wish  to  see  again  the  Nervian 
maiden  whom  he  had  assisted.  He  could  not  forget 
her,  even  during  the  time  he  thought  so  often  of  Tre- 
bonia.  But  it  was  not  safe  for  a  Roman  to  venture 
among  these  people,  and  chance  had  thrown  in  his  way 
no  opportunity  of  meeting  her.  Why  not  disguise  as 
a  Gaul  and  go  among  them  ?  The  more  he  thought  of 
it,  the  more  eager  he  was  to  go,  though  he  knew  the 
danger;  for  there  was  great  unrest  among  the  Gauls, 
and  rumors  of  a  threatened  revolt  throughout  the  whole 
country.  Especially  would  his  situation  be  precarious 
if  he  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Nervian  youth 
whom  he  had  vanquished  in  the  battle  of  the  Sabis  - 
the  youth  who  had  shown  such  hatred  of  him.  Caius 

225 


226  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

had  since  learned  that  he  was  Carvillax,  a  noble  of 
highest  rank  among  the  Nervians,  of  great  authority 
since  the  death  of  King  Boduagnotus,  and  himself  a 
suitor  for  the  old  king's  daughter.  Nevertheless,  Caius 
determined  to  go. 

The  next  day  was  a  holiday,  and  the  Roman  officers 
and  soldiers  were  relieved  from  all  drill  and  camp  duty. 
Caius  found  a  Gaul  in  the  camp  who  would  exchange 
his  garments  and  weapons  for  those  of  Roman  style; 
with  the  aid  of  Titus,  in  his  tent,  he  was  soon  clad 
in  red  and  blue  striped,  tight-fitting  trousers,  a  red 
cloak  over  his  shoulders,  a  brazen  helmet  adorned 
with  aurochs  horns  on  his  head,  and  about  his  waist 
a  broad  leathern  belt  to  which  swung,  by  a  chain,  a 
long  Gallic  sword  of  bronze. 

"If  your  mother  could  see  you,  she  would  disown  her 
son,"  said  Titus. 

"So  much  the  better,"  said  Caius,  looking  at  his 
image  in  a  small  silver  mirror,  a  present  from  Tre- 
bonia.  "If  my  own  mother  would  not  know  me,  I 
am  sure  the  Gauls  will  not  find  me  out." 

"What  message  shall  I  take  to  your  mother  when  I 
return  home  next  year  without  you?"  asked  Titus, 
who  was  strongly  against  so  rash  a  venture. 

"Do  you  really  think  it  so  dangerous  as  that?" 
asked  Caius,  with  some  misgiving. 

"Why,  yes,"  answered  Titus.  "What  if  a  Gaul 
speaks  to  you  ?  Can  you  answer  him  in  good  Gallic 
speech  ?  Do  you  think  he  would  not  know  you  were 
a  Roman  ?  What  would  you  do  ?" 

"I'd  have  to  take  to  my  heels  and  run,"  answered 
Caius,  "for  my  Gallic  is  not  good.  I  know  only  three 


THE    COMMANDER   PLAYS    THE    SPY  227 

or  four  of  their  many  dialects.  But  I  am  going,  come 
what  may." 

"Well,  if  you  must,  you  must,  But  let's  give  your 
disguise  a  trial."  And  Titus  led  the  way  out  of  the 
tent,  round  a  corner  to  where  Baculus  stood  talking 
with  two  or  three  other  centurions.  "Centurion 
Baculus,  can  you  tell  me  where  to  find  centurion 
Sannio  ? "  asked  Titus.  "This  Gaul  wishes  to  speak 
with  him." 

"He  commands  a  guard  about  the  quaestorium,"  said 
Baculus,  looking  closely  at  Caius,  but  showing  no  sign 
of  recognition.  "Lead  him  on.  We  want  no  Gauls 
here." 

"Good,"  said  Caius  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of 
hearing.  "If  Baculus  did  not  know  me,  it's  all  right. 
I  am  away." 

A  walk  of  a  few  hours  brought  him  to  the  walls 
of  Bagacum.  The  gate  was  open,  and  all  who  came 
passed  in  freely.  The  Nervians  had  gathered  from 
all  regions  in  great  numbers,  and  although  the  place 
was  of  considerable  size,  it  was  full  to  overflow- 
ing. The  narrow  streets  among  their  small,  round, 
wattled  houses  were  gay  with  their  many-colored  gar- 
ments. Here  and  there  were  Druidic  bards  who 
chanted  songs  extolling  the  glory  of  their  ancestors, 
the  death  of  their  heroes,  and  the  promise  of  the  gods 
for  their  future.  The  bards  were  surrounded  by 
groups  of  warriors,  women,  and  children,  all  of  whom 
either  joined  in  the  song,  listened  with  rapt  attention, 
or  cheered  by  rattling  their  spears  on  their  shields. 
Caius  walked  among  them,  full  of  interest  in  the 
curious  throng. 

STANDARD    BEARER 15 


228 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


Presently  he  saw  a  shouting  procession  following  in 
the  rear  of  a  big  Gaul  who  was  walking  toward  the  center 
of  a  large  open  space,  a  sort  of  market  place.  In  the 


center  of  this  space  several  magistrates  were  standing 
about  a  tall  pole  on  the  top  of  which  was  a  huge  shield, 
and  on  this  was  fastened  the  skull  and  horns  of  an 
aurochs  —  a  sort  of  national  coat  of  arms. 


THE    COMMANDER    PLAYS    THE    SPY  229 

"Bujorax  to  the  measuring  belt!"  shouted  a  Gaul, 
pointing  to  the  big  man  in  the  lead.  "He  has  grown 
old  and  fat,  but  he  thinks  he  can  fight  if  war  comes/' 

"But  he  can't,"  said  another.  "He  has  much 
money,  and  has  lived  too  well  on  fat  boar,  sweet  honey, 
and  good  mead.  The  belt  will  never  reach  around 
his  big  middle." 

Caius  followed,  curious  to  know  what  they  were 
about.  He  saw  one  of  the  magistrates,  with  an  orna- 
mented belt  in  his  hands,  measuring  the  waists  of  the 
men.  "You  are  lean  and  strong,  Segibo,"  said  the 
officer  to  one  just  measured.  He  passed  the  belt  about 
another.  "It  barely  reaches  around  you,  Turonix. 
Be  careful;  eat  a  little  less.  And  here  is  Bujorax," 
he  continued,  slipping  the  belt  about  the  waist  of  the 
big  Gaul  and  drawing  it  tight.  "What,"  he  exclaimed. 
"The  belt  will  not  meet  about  the  noble  Bujorax! 
There  was  always  enough  of  the  belt  and  to  spare 
before,  and  I  have  measured  you  once  every  year  for 
the  last  thirty.  You  grow  fat  and  lazy.  Eat  less 
and  exercise  more."  And  Bujorax  turned  away,  much 
downcast  because  he  had  reached  the  time  every  Gaul 
dreaded  —  the  age  when  he  was  too  fat  for  the  measur- 
ing belt  to  meet  about  him. 

As  Caius  turned  away  he  was  attracted  by  a  large 
group  of  men  seated  upon  wolf  and  bear  skins  spread 
upon  the  ground.  In  their  midst  were  smoking  car- 
casses of  swine,  human  skulls  filled  with  sweet  mead, 
and  blazing  fires  to  cheer  the  hardy  men.  With  their 
swords  and  knives  they  cut  away  huge  morsels  of  meat 
and  ate  them  with  greedy  relish,  washing  them  down 
with  liberal  draughts  from  the  skulls. 


230  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Here  is  a  bite  of  choice  pork  fit  for  a  warrior  of 
the  gods,"  cried  a  long-faced  Gaul,  with  huge,  stiff,  red 
mustaches.  "Eat  it,  Bujorax.  To  the  bravest  we 
always  give  the  choicest  morsels.  And  they  say  you 
slew  more  Cimbrians  years  ago  than  all  the  Gauls 
together."  And  he  extended  the  dainty  bit  on  the 
point  of  his  sword. 

"No,  no,"  said  Bujorax,  who  now  joined  the  group. 
"The  belt  would  not  reach  around  me,  and  I  shall  eat  no 
more  dainties  till  I  grow  lean  again."  And  he  pushed 
away  the  morsel,  though  it  was  plain  he  wanted  it. 

"Well,  drink  mead  then,"  urged  another,  pushing 
toward  Bujorax  a  human  skull  rimmed  with  gold. 
"And  better,  drink  from  my  best  cup,  made  from  the 
round  skull  of  a  Roman  I  slew  at  Sabis.  By  the  sacred 
mistletoe,  but  I  had  a  hard  time  to  bring  it  off.  I 
thought  I  would  bring  away  all  the  heads  of  the  men  I 
killed,  but  the  coming  of  the  red-coated  little  man 
changed  things  so  I  barely  got  away  with  this  one  arid 
my  own." 

"No,  no,  no  mead,"  said  Bujorax.  "I  must  grow 
lean  again.  War  comes  on  like  a  bright  cloud  over  the 
hills,  and  I  am  too  fat  to  fight." 

"Perhaps  the  brave  Bujorax  will  drink  some  wine," 
said  another  as  he  extended  a  cup  similar  to  the  other, 
filled  with  wine.  "  We  bought  it  from  a  trader  and  gave 
a  stout  boy  for  it.  But  we  dare  not  tell  the  magis- 
trates, for  they  would  censure  us  for  buying  wine." 

The  wine  Bujorax  could  not  refuse.  He  had  been 
firm  enough  in  refusing  the  everyday  food  of  the  Gauls, 
but  wine  from  Italy  was  a  luxury  which  the  fickleness 
of  Gallic  character  could  never  resist.  The  old  Gaul 


THE    COMMANDER    PLAYS    THE    SPY  23! 

placed  the  skull  to  his  lips  and  drank  so  greedily  that 
the  other  begged  him  to  leave  a  drop  for  himself. 

A  brawl  in  another  part  of  the  group  drew  attention, 
and  Caius  saw  there  several  men  pressing  about  another. 
One  of  them  was  swearing  and  talking  vigorously. 
"  Pay  me  my  money,"  he  was  saying  to  the  one  who  was 
surrounded.  "Pay  me  my  money,  or  I  shall  demand 
the  penalty." 

"  I  cannot  pay,"  replied  the  other.  "  I  have  borrowed 
your  money,  wagered  it  in  play,  and  lost  it  but  now. 
I  can  by  no  means  pay,  and  am  ready  to  suffer  the 
penalty.  So  there  ! " 

And  then,  to  the  surprise  of  Caius,  he  saw  this  man 
led  out  and  placed  on  a  long  shield  upheld  by  four 
others,  while  a  crowd  pressed  up  from  all  parts. 

"What  cause  for  this  deed?"  asked  a  magistrate 
who  approached. 

"He  sold  his  life  for  money,"  shouted  a  half  dozen 
others.  "He  sold  his  life  for  money,  lost  the  money 
in  gaming,  and  now  he  pays  the  penalty." 

The  magistrate  walked  away  without  further  notice 
of  the  matter.  The  victim  lay  stretched  at  his  length 
on  the  shield,  his  head  thrown  far  back,  no  sign  of  fear 
on  his  bold  face.  Then  the  man  from  whom  the  money 
had  been  borrowed  stepped  briskly  up,  and  with  a 
swing  of  his  long  sword  smote  the  neck  so  dexterously 
that  the  head  dropped  and  rolled  on  the  cold  and  muddy 
ground.  And  now  the  three  wives  and  servants  of  the 
dead  man  came  up,  each  clamoring  and  crying  for  the 
honor  of  being  buried  with  him. 

Other  groups  of  warriors  stood  here  and  there  talking 
in  low  tones.  Caius  at  last  ventured  to  approach  one 


232  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

of  these  groups.  He  found  that  they  were  talking  of  a 
war  against  the  Romans  which  was  now  being  planned 
throughout  Gaul. 

"And  how  stand  you  ?"  asked  a  Gaul,  turning  to  him. 
"  For  submission  to  the  Romans  or  for  war  with  them  ? " 

"For  war,"  boldly  answered  Caius  as  best  he  could 
in  the  Nervian  tongue.  He  at  once  turned  quickly 
away  from  the  group  lest  he  should  be  asked  other 
questions,  but  from  the  corner  of  his  eye  he  saw  that 
his  action  had  drawn  attention  to  himself.  This 
gave  him  a  fright.  He  now  realized  that  he  was 
almost  sure  to  be  drawn  into  a  discussion  with  some 
Gaul,  when  his  speech  would  betray  him.  The  con- 
sequences might  be  anything  but  pleasant. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE    COMMANDER    IS    MADE    A  PRISONER 

BUT  Caius  was  loath  to  leave.  So  far  he  had  failed 
to  see  the  maiden,  though  he  had  searched  in  many 
places.  Now  he  was  just  giving  up  in  disappointment 
and  turning  away  toward  the  town  gate,  when  he  felt 
himself  plucked  by  the  edge  of  his  Gallic  cloak.  He 
wheeled  quickly  to  grapple  with  his  assailant,  and 
found  himself  face  to  face  with  the  maiden.  She  was 
blushing. 

"Are  you  not  the  Roman  youth  who  helped  a  Nervian 
prisoner  walk  to  Caesar's  camp  after  the  battle  of  the 
Sabis  ?"  she  asked. 

"No,  I  am  a  Gaul,"  answered  Caius,  awkwardly,  but 
his  face  belied  his  words,  and  he  saw  that  he  was  clearly 
recognized. 

"Yes,  you  are  that  Roman,"  she  said,  with  gladness, 
in  a  low  tone.  "But  you  must  be  gone,"  she  con- 
tinued, with  disappointment  spreading  on  her  face. 
"Already  your  actions  have  awakened  suspicion  and 
distrust,  and  you  are  watched.  Go  quickly." 

"Is  this  the.  welcome  you  give  me?"  he  asked 
gloomily.  "I  came  only  to  find  you." 

"Hush,"  she  said,  "and  go.  I  do  not  want  you  to 
lose  your  life.  Pass  between  these  houses  here,  and 
hurry  down  the  street  you  find  on  the  other  side.  It 
leads  to  a  small  gate  that  is  unguarded." 

Her  evident  fright  coupled  with  his  knowledge  of  the 

233 


234  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

situation  constrained  him  to  obey.  With  a  farewell 
glance  at  her,  he  hurried  off  between  the  houses  she 
had  pointed  out,  and  soon  found  himself  in  a  narrow 
street,  which  was  almost  deserted.  Down  this  he 
hastened  as  rapidly  as  he  dared,  fearing  lest  he  should 
attract  too  much  attention  to  himself.  He  was  nearing 
the  gate  when  the  Gaul  that  he  had  heard  called  Segibo 
joined  him,  coming  into  the  street  from  a  side  passage. 

"What!  are  you  leaving  so  early?"  asked  Segibo. 
"The  assembly  has  not  yet  met." 

"No,  I  am  not  leaving,"  invented  Caius,  in  his  best 
effort  at  Gallic.  "I  am  going  to  meet  my  brother  at 
the  gate.  He  also  comes  to  the  assembly." 

"As  I  expect  to  meet  a  friend  at  the  gate,  I  will  go 
with  you,"  said  Segibo,  walking  on  and  talking  of  the 
assembly,  with  frequent  keen  glances  at  Caius.  The 
latter  answered  in  as  few  words  as  possible,  conscious 
that  with  every  word  he  uttered  he  was  increasing  the 
suspicion  of  the  Gaul. 

Arrived  at  the  gate,  Segibo  remained  with  him,  and 
as  no  brother  came,  the  Roman  found  his  chance  for 
escape  every  moment  growing  less  and  less.  Some 
dozen  other  Gauls  had  soon  gathered  about  the  two, 
and  Caius  felt  none  the  easier  when  he  recognized 
Carvillax  among  them. 

At  last  Carvillax  stepped  boldly  before  Caius  and 
said,  "Declare  yourself  truly.  Are  you  not  a  Roman 
spy?" 

Realizing  the  desperateness  of  his  plight  and  hoping 
to  pass  through  the  gate  and  make  a  run  for  his  life, 
he  reached  for  his  short  Roman  sword,  only  to  find  the 
long  awkward  Gallic  one.  Even  before  he  could  draw 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    MADE    A    PRISONER  235 

it  for  a  thrust,  Segibo  had  seized  him  about  the  arms 
from  behind  and  held  him  helpless. 

They  dragged  him  with  rude  cuffs  before  the  magis- 
trate. As  they  went  along  a  great  throng  gathered 
about  them.  " A  Roman  spy  !"  "The  Roman  dog !" 
"Kill  him!"  and  like  curses  and  execrations  greeted 
his  ear.  Indeed,  many  of  them  struck  him,  leaving 
him  bruised  and  sore 

Then  Carvillax  mounted  upon  a  large  stone  and  began 
to  speak  to  the  throng  that  had  gathered,  and  they 
fell  silent  and  listened.  "Of  old,  our  fathers  would  not 
have  dallied  with  a  Roman  prisoner.  Much  less  would 
they  have  delayed  in  the  case  of  a  captive  spy.  Our 
brave  and  noble  ancestors  would  have  sacrificed  this 
spy  among  the  sacred  oaks  to  the  great  gods  of  our 
people  before  sunset.  Now,  since  these  Romans  have 
slain  thousands  of  our  heroes  and  also  our  good  king, 
Boduagnotus,  let  us  make  haste  to  please  the  gods^ 
by  the  quick  sacrifice  of  this  spy." 

A  great  shout  of  assent  arose,  along  with  a  deafening 
rattle  of  the  men's  spears  upon  their  shields.  Then  a 
bard  in  long  robe,  his  white  beard  falling  to  his  waist, 
stood  forth  and  sang  of  the  days  of  old,  the  bravery  of 
their  ancestors,  and  the  sacrifice  of  prisoners  that  had 
won  favor  of  their  gods  in  former  times.  And  soon  the 
great  throng  was  in  a  frenzy  of  excitement,  and  the 
demand  for  the  sacrifice  was  loudly  made  from  one 
end  of  the  town  to  the  other. 

The   Ouadd,    or   sacrificing   priest,   could    make   no" 
human  sacrifice  without  the  consent  of  the  chief  Druid. 
So  now  Caius  was  led  away  into  the  depths  of  the  sacred 
forest  to  the  abode  of  the  priest. 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


As  they  went,  the  sun  was  falling  low  in  the  west, 
and  as  they  passed  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  dim 
woods  where  the  trees  were  larger  and  thicker,  Caius 
began  to  feel  the  force  of  the  gloom  and  mystery  of 


Druidism.  To  increase  his  awe,  the  crowd,  before 
so  noisy,  now  moved  in  silence,  and  only  spoke  in 
hushed  and  solemn  whispers. 

At  last  they  approached  a  grove  of  great  oaks,  thicker 
than  the  others.     On  one  side  rose  dimly  a  steep  hill 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    MADE    A    PRISONER  237 

near  the  top  of  which  was  a  dark  grotto.  The  throng 
approached  this  with  solemn  step  and  perfect  silence. 
The  Ouadd  led  the  way.  None  were  admitted  except 
the  Ouadd  and  Caius.  On  a  great  stone  seat  the 
Roman  perceived,  dimly  outlined,  an  aged  man  with 
long  beard  and  hair,  wearing  a  white  robe  reaching 
to  his  feet.  On  his  head  was  a  chaplet  of  oak  leaves. 
About  the  sides  of  the  cavern  hung  great  branches  of 
the  sacred  mistletoe. 

The  Ouadd  talked  with  the  chief  Druid  in  dread 
and  solemn  tones  and  in  words  of  mystic  meaning, 
not  one  of  which  Caius  understood. 

At  last  an  agreement  seemed  to  have  been  reached. 
The  old  Druid  dismissed  them  with  a  wave  of  a  mistletoe 
branch,  and  the  whole  party  returned  to  the  town  in 
silence. 

Caius  knew  not  what  decision  had  been  made,  but 
from  the  downcast  look  he  saw  on  the  maiden's  face 
as  he  was  led  through  the  gate,  back  into  the  town,  he 
was  convinced  that  he  could  hope  for  but  little  mercy 
from  his  barbarian  captors. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE   COMMANDER    IS    NOT   SACRIFICED 

BY  the  command  of  Carvillax,  Caius  was  placed  in 
one  of  the  wattle-work  huts  of  the  town,  and  bound 
to  a  stout  post,  with  just  freedom  enough  to  lie  down. 
No  one  was  left  with  him,  but  from  the  tramp  of  feet 
back  and  forth  before  the  door,  he  was  in  no  doubt  that 
a  guard  had  been  placed. 

Thus  left  alone,  the  young  soldier's  first  impulse  was 
to  rail  at  his  fate  and  to  rage  at  the  foolish  hardihood 
of  his  adventure.  Shame  almost  overcame  him.  He 
was  one  of  Caesar's  trusted  officers.  Here  he  had  stuck 
himself  into  a  nest  of  danger,  from  which  he  had  small 
hope  of  escape.  He  remembered  that  human  sacrifice 
used  to  be  made  by  the  Romans  themselves,  and  he  had 
heard  old  Simmias  tell  how,  once  in  the  great  wars 
with  Carthage,  the  Romans  had  buried  alive  in  the 
cattle  market  two  Greeks  and  two  Gauls.  Much  less 
would  the  Nervians  hesitate  to  sacrifice  him.  He  was 
now  certain  that  he  would  be  offered  to  the  Nervian 
gods  on  the  morrow,  with  all  the  horrid  rites  of  the 
Druids,  unless  he  could  in  some  way  contrive  to  escape. 
But  as  he  could  in  no  way  imagine  how  this  was  to  be 
done,  he  now  wished  that  he  had  followed  the  advice 
of  Titus  and,  at  the  least,  left  a  message  for  his  mother. 

Then  he  thought  of  the  golden-haired,  white-armed 
beauty  of  the  Nervian  maiden,  and  of  the  solicitude 
with  which  she  had  urged  him  to  escape.  And,  too, 

238 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    NOT    SACRIFICED  239 

he  thought  of  how  unbecoming  of  a  soldier  of  Caesar 
to  waste  time  in  a  quarrel  with  fate, -as  long  as  there 
was  any  hope  to  be  placed  in  action  of  hand  or  brain. 
And  he  was  glad  he  had  come,  and  with  set  jaws  he 
determined  to  invent  a  way  of  escape,  and  if  he  should 
fail  in  that,  he  would  meet  his  death  as  befitted  a 
Roman  patrician. 

As  he  could  do  nothing  toward  his  escape  at  present, 
he  composed  his  mind  and  soon  slept,  dreaming  of 
the  old  shepherd  days  with  his  mother,  Titus,  Simmias, 
and  even  the  faithful  dog,  on  the  sunny  slopes  of  the 
Italian  hills. 

How  long  he  slept,  he  did  not  know.  He  was 
awakened  by  a  touch  and  a  soft  voice  calling,  "Caius, 
Caius,"  in  a  low  whisper.  He  moved  uneasily  and  sat 
up. 

"Stir  not;  I  am  Bridiga,"  she  said. 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  he  asked  in  astonish- 
ment, as  he  recognized  her. 

"You  know  not  much  of  maidens,"  she  said.  "Else 
you  would  not  ask  that." 

"You  are  the  first  maiden  I  have  thought  of,"  he 
boldly  returned,  forgetful  of  Trebonia.  "But  why 
are  you  here  ?" 

"Caius,  I  have  come  to  try  to  save  your  life.  The 
young  noble,  Carvillax,  is  bent  upon  your  death. 
They  have  secured  the  consent  of  the  chief  Druid,  and 
will  sacrifice  you  when  morning  comes.  I  have  bribed 
the  guard  there  at  the  door  and  entered.  Take  now  my 
garments  and  give  me  yours.  Dress  quickly  in  mine 
and  pass  forth  without  a  word  to  the  guard,  and  go  by 
the  street  to  the  left.  Hasten,  for  the  day  is  not  far." 


240 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


"But  what  will  they  do  with  you  when  they  find 
that  you  have  aided  me  to  escape?"  he  asked.  For 
a  moment  hope  had  come  to  him  and  then  as  quickly 
departed ;  for  he  knew  without  asking  that  she  would 
be  offered  to  the  gods  in  his  stead. 


"I  do  not  know,"  she  replied.  "It  is  enough  if 
you  are  saved.  Change  garments  and  go  quickly, 
now,  that  you  may  be  safely  out  of  town  before  day 
comes." 

"I  will  not  unless  you  go  too,"  said  Caius  stoutly. 
"I  shall  not  leave  you  here  to  be  killed  in  my  stead. 


THE    COMMANDER    IS    NOT    SACRIFICED  24! 

Come,  Bridiga,  come  with  me.  I  came  here  to  find 
you  because  I  love  you ;  and  if  you  will,  you  shall  be 
my  very  own,  and  we  shall  dwell  at  Rome/' 

"Oh,  I  cannot,  Caius,"  she  said.  "The  guard  will 
not  let  two  of  us  forth  from  the  door,  for  he  expects  only 
me,  and  he  is  commanded  to  keep  you  even  with  his 
life.  But  if  you  will  dress  in  my  garments  and  go 
confidently,  you  may  escape.  Two  of  us  cannot. 
Do,  do  go.  If  you  live,  we  may  see  each  other  again 
in  the  future.  If  you  stay  here,  you  will  surely  die 


to-morrow." 


"I  will  not  go  and  leave  you,"  said  Caius.  His  tone 
was  so  grim  and  firm  that  she  knew  she  need  urge  the 
young  Roman  no  further. 

"Then  I  must  leave  you,"  she  said.  "Even  now  the 
guard  grows  restless  for  fear  of  discovery." 

"Why  not  bribe  the  guard  to  let  us  both  out  and  go 
with  us  in  safety  to  the  Roman  camp?"  said  Caius, 
with  a  new  hope  springing  up  in  his  mind. 

But  just  then  they  heard  a  shout  and  a  rattle  of  arms 
from  the  street.  They  both  started  with  sudden  dread. 
Bridiga  remained  breathlessly  waiting  till  the  noise 
subsided. 

"Farewell,  Caius,"  she  whispered,  and  tenderly 
stroking  his  face  with  her  hand,  she  slipped  away 
and  was  gone. 

Their  alarm  had  been  caused  by  the  first  stir  of 
armed  men  with  the  coming  of  the  day,  which  soon 
dawned,  clear  and  frosty.  All  the  town  was  astir 
early,  men,  women,  and  children  swarming  everywhere, 
wild  with  excitement.  After  a  time,  a  horn  sounded 
loudly  and  Caius  was  led  from  the  hut.  A  procession 


242  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

was  formed,  at  the  head  of  which  rode  a  body  of  armed 
men.  These  were  followed  by  six  brown-robed  Bards, 
chanting  a  Druidic  hymn. 

Caius,  guarded  by  eight  soldiers,  came  next,  followed 
by  four  Ouadds  in  their  long  robes.  Last  of  all  came 
an  army  of  men,  women,  children,  and  dogs,  barking, 
shouting,  rejoicing,  mocking,  and  jeering. 

They  conducted  him  into  the  depths  of  the  same 
oak  wood  into  which  they  had  gone  the  evening  before. 
Now,  in  the  morning  light,  Caius  thought  he  should 
have  been  able  to  see  the  woods  more  clearly,  but  the 
trees  grew  so  thick  and  their  limbs  were  so  interlaced 
above,  that  the  sunlight  only  here  and  there  broke 
through  the  dead  leaves  still  clinging  to  them  and  fell 
upon  the  dark  ground  and  its  thick  coat  of  swamp 
ferns  and  rushy  grasses.  The  air  was  damp  and  heavy, 
the  shade  cold  and  dismal.  No  bees  hummed  among 
the  leaves,  no  butterflies  gladdened  the  eye,  and  no 
birds  sang  among  the  trees. 

Soon  they  reached  an  open  space,  circular  in  form, 
smooth  and  clean,  about  which  the  huge  oaks  stood 
like  a  wall,  their  long  gnarled  limbs  forming  a  dome 
above.  On  one  side  of  this  space  near  one  of  the  oaks 
stood  a  wooden  altar,  its  top  flat  and  smooth.  Propped 
against  others  of  the  oaks,  on  rude  pedestals  of  wood, 
were  images  of  the  Gallic  gods,  sad-faced,  devoid  of 
art,  unsightly,  covered  with  mold,  and  rotting.  In 
the  midst  of  the  circle  lay  a  deep  pool  of  black  water. 
From  the  huts  and  caverns  about  sounded  the  doleful 
chanting  of  the  Druids. 

Armed  men  stripped  Caius,  bound  his  hands  and 
feet,  and  laid  him  at  his  length  on  the  altar.  The 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    NOT    SACRIFICED  243 

young  Roman  did  not  struggle,  he  did  not  even  speak. 
He  thought  of  the  fortitude  with  which  his  country- 
men had  met  pain  and  death  in  the  service  of  Rome  - 
Mucius  Scaevola,  young  Manlius  Tarquinius,  and 
Regulus  at  Carthage.  This  gave  him  courage,  and  yet 
he  was  hot  with  shame  at  the  thought  of  his  own 
selfish  purpose  —  the  pursuit  of  a  Gallic  maid.  But 
she  had  been  willing  to  die  in  his  stead.  So  he  was 
resigned. 

In  a  strangely  calm  way,  he  reflected  that  he  had 
not  seen  her  in  the  throng  that  followed,  though  he  had 
looked  for  her,  anxiously.  Where  could  she  be  ? 

He  did  see  the  haughty,  sneering  face  of  Carvillax 
that  seemed  to  mock  him.  "He  will  take  my  Bri- 
diga,"  he  said  to  himself,  with  a  cruel  pain  at  his  heart. 

He  was  roused  from  these  thoughts  by  the  voices 
of  the  Bards,  who  now  slowly  chanted  in  doleful  tones 
this  song :  - 

O  our  gods, 

Tarann,  maker  and  mover  of  the  world ; 
Bel,  the  bright  sun;   Heus, 
The  rough  ruler  of  war ; 
Ognius,  the  priest  of  poetry ;   and  all 

The  other  gods  of  Gaul ; 

O  our  gods, 

In  the  forests,  in  the  flames  of  the  fire, 
In  the  sun's  round  rim, 
In  the  moon's  mild  light, 
In  the  rough  rumble  of  the  thunder, 
And  in  the  flash  of  the  fire  from  the  sky, 

Thee  we  see. 

STANDARD   BEARER l6 


244  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

O  our  gods, 

We  know  that  thou  art,  and  wast, 
And  will  be,  in  time  that  is  now, 
In  that  to  come,  in  all  the  years  that  are 
Gone,  living  and  being  eternal, 

Thee  we  know. 

O  our  gods, 

Thanks  to  thee  we  give. 
A  fell  foe  in  war  into  our 
Hands  is  come,  a  foe  from  the 
Hosts  of  the  king  of  the  world  ; 

For  this,  our  thanks  to  thee. 

O  our  gods, 

That  thou  mayst  bless  us, 
Mayst  drive  from  our  troubled  land 
The  foes  that  harry  and  harm  and 
Hinder  and  hurt  us,  we  pray  thee, 
Crush  them  and  kill  them 

And  drive  them  apart. 

O  our  gods, 

Now  to  thee,  under  the  mistletoe, 
Emblem  of  man's  soul  eternal  to  be, 
This  man,  our  foe,  a  victim  to  thee, 
To  please  thee  and  gladden  thee, 
.  Him  we  sacrifice. 

When  this  rude  hymn  was  finished,  the  four  Ouadds, 
wearing  garlands  of  oak,  approached  the  altar  with 
stately  tread,  and  solemnly  took  their  places,  one  at 
each  of  its  corners.  They  sprinkled  some  small  pieces 
of  bread  on  a  fire  at  one  side  and  poured  out  on  the 
ground  a  little  wine.  The  Bards  called  once  more  upon 


THE    COMMANDER   IS    NOT    SACRIFICED  245 

the  gods  to  avenge  the  slaughter  of  their  countrymen 
in  return  for  this  sacrifice.  The  Ouadds  at  their 
places,  slowly,  and  with  upturned  eyes,  each  lifted 
on  high  his  knife,  bright  and  keen,  until  the  points 
all  aimed  at  the  heart  of  the  young  Roman. 

And  then,  from  somewhere,  a  small  sprig  of  bright- 
berried  mistletoe  came  fluttering  down  and  dropped  on 
his  breast  and  lodged  there.  A  look  of  awe  spread  over 
the  faces  of  the  Druids,  and  the  knives  were  slowly 
lowered. 

"The  gods  do  not  approve,"  whispered  the  Ouadds. 
And  Caius  was  led  back  to  the  town. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE  COMMANDER   FIGHTS  AND  RUNS  AWAY 

CAIUS  was  led  back  and  placed  in  his  prison  again, 
bound  hand  and  foot.  No  man  among  all  that  horde 
of  angry  barbarians,  much  as  they  wished,  dared  to 
touch  him  in  harm,  so  great  was  the  Gallic  veneration 
for  the  Druids  and  their  authority.  The  Roman  was 
safe,  at  least  for  the  present.  But  closed  in  his  narrow 
prison,  he  could  hear  the  muttered  grumblings  of  the 
bolder  spirits  outside,  as  they  strove  to  arouse  the 
weaker.  Above  all  the  tumult,  he  heard  the  voice  of 
Carvillax,  raging  in  anger  and  disappointment.  And 
the  Roman  knew  that  his  Nervian  rival  was  still  doing 
all  in  his  power  to  bring  about  his  death. 

It  was  late  in  the  night  before  the  uproar  subsided. 
Bound  as  he  was,  and  perhaps  doubly  guarded,  Caius 
now  lay  and  thought.  He  could  picture  to  himself 
less  hope  of  escape  than  before ;  still,  sleep  would  not 
come,  and  he  lay  and  tried  to  invent  some  way  for 
loosing  his  cords  and  saving  his  life,  hopeless  though 
he  thought  it  was.  Then  through  the  darkness,  he 
dimly  saw  a  silent  form  approach,  quick  and  lithe, 
and  again  Bridiga  was  at  his  side. 

"Caius,  the  fall  of  the  sprig  of  mistletoe  saved  you 
to-day/'  she  said  hastily.  "They  deemed  it  a  bad 
omen,  and  we  Gauls  respect  signs  and  omens  very 
much.  But,  just  now,  at  midnight,  when  the  deity  is 
thought  to  be  most  propitious,  they  have  again  sought 

246 


THE    COMMANDER    FIGHTS    AND    RUNS    AWAY       247 

the  chief  Druid  and  secured  his  consent  to  sacrifice  you 
to-morrow.  I  heard  them  talk ;  Carvillax  plans  and 
rules.  They  will  build  of  osier  twigs  a  huge  frame  in 
the  form  of  a  man.  In  this  you  will  be  placed,  fire 
will  be  set  to  it,  and  you  will  be  burned  to  death. 
You  were  barely  saved  to-day.  If  you  are  here  to- 
morrow, there  is  no  hope.  I  have  bribed  the  guard, 
and  he  will  go  with  you." 

All  this  time  she  had  been  clipping  his  cords  with  a 
short  dagger.  Soon  he  felt  himself  free  and  a  sword 
was  shoved  into  his  hand. 

"Come,  quickly  now!"  she  said.  "The  day  comes 
soon,  and  there  is  no  time  to  lose." 

And  she  led  him  out  at  the  door,  stiff  from  the  blows 
he  had  received  and  from  the  cords  that  had  bound  him. 
The  guard  left  the  place  without  a  word  and  followed 
them  in  silence  as  they  hastily  darted  between  houses 
and  threaded  narrow  passages,  she  leading  the  way. 
Soon  they  reached  a  small  gate  in  the  wall  that  was 
unguarded,  and  through  this  they  passed  out  into  the 
open  country.  Here  Bridiga  stopped. 

"The  guard  will  guide  you  to  the  Roman  camp,"  she 
said.  "I  return." 

"You  return!"  Caius  exclaimed.  "I  thought  you 
were  going  with  me." 

"No,  I  cannot,  I  must  return  to  Bagacum,"  she  said 
demurely.  "I  am  to  marry  Carvillax  and  be  queen 
of  the  Nervians." 

"By  Pollux,  you  shall  do  no  such  thing,"  he  ex- 
claimed. "Come,  you  are  going  to  the  Roman  camp 
to  marry  me.  Lead  on,  guard!"  And  he  seized  her 
arm  and  led  her  away. 


248  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"I  did  not  know  you  really  wanted  me  to  go,"  she 
whispered,  joy  trembling  in  every  breath. 

"Did  not  know?  To  find  you,  to  even  see  you,  is 
the  reason  I  came  to  Bagacum  and  nearly  lost  my  life," 
he  said.  "Do  you  think  I  will  now  leave  without 
you?" 

"Well,  at  any  rate,  you  may  leave  without  me  and 
even  yet  lose  your  life,  unless  we  hasten,"  she  said. 
"Our  flight  may  be  discovered  at  any  moment,  and  you 
must  not  think  we  will  not  be  sought  and  pursued 
through  all  Gaul." 

And  so  the  youth  and  maid  hurried  away,  over  hill 
and  marsh,  happy  as  a  youth  and  maid  are  wont  to  be, 
despite  any  and  all  dangers. 

After  they  had  gone  several  miles,  the  stars  began 
to  fade,  and  the  moon  to  grow  dim.  A  bank  of  ragged 
clouds  that  lay  over  the  east  grew  rosy,  and  a  few 
birds  chirped  overhead  among  the  rattling  branches  of 
the  great  oaks. 

The  young  people  now  began  to  hope  they  could 
reach  the  Roman  camp  without  being  overtaken. 
And  just  then  as  the  wintry  sun  arose,  through  the 
frosty  air  of  the  morning  the  shouts  of  men  came 
faintly  to  their  ears.  Though  weary  they  pressed  for- 
ward as  fast  as  they  could  drag  their  feet.  The  shouts 
grew  louder,  and  they  knew  that  they  must  soon  be 
overtaken. 

"Caius,  hasten  and  leave  me,"  said  Bridiga.  "I  am 
the  daughter  of  King  Boduagnotus,  and  come  what 
may,  I  will  not  be  harmed  by  the  Nervian  people.  I 
can  go  no  further,  I  am  so  weary."  She  sat  down. 
Though  she  had  been  inured,  according  to  Gallic 


THE    COMMANDER   FIGHTS    AND    RUNS    AWAY       249 

custom,  to  hardship  from  infancy,  she  could  no  longer 
keep  pace  with  the  seasoned  young  soldier  of  Rome. 


"By  Pollux!  I  will  not  leave  you,"  returned  Caius. 
"Come  aside  here,  and  we  three  will  hide  ourselves, 
and  perhaps  the  hunt  will  go  by  us." 


250  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

So  they  hid  themselves  at  the  distance  of  a  bow-shot 
from  the  road  they  had  been  following.  Their  shelter 
was  one  of  the  thick  hedges  of  intertwined  trees  and 
bushes  which  the  Nervians  were  accustomed  to  train 
for  the  purpose  of  checking  the  advance  of  their  enemies' 
cavalry.  Though  the  leaves  were  off  the  trees  of  the 
hedge,  it  was  still  so  thick  that  the  three  were  well 
hidden,  and  their  pursuers  might  have  passed  them 
by,  had  not  a  lean  dog  sniffed  them  and  come  running 
and  snarling  at  them.  The  guard  struck  savagely 
at  the  animal,  but  it  dodged  and  ran  back  to  the  road, 
barking  and  yelping  more  loudly  than  ever. 

Then  three  Nervian  soldiers  came  running  out  to 
where  they  were  hidden.  Caius  and  the  guard  set 
themselves  stoutly  and  drew  their  swords,  and  Bridiga 
grasped  her  dagger. 

Caius  found  that  he  could  fight  but  awkwardly  with 
the  long,  bronze,  two-handed  sword  which  Bridiga 
had  given  him.  The  Gaul  with  whom  he  was  quickly 
engaged  was  skillful  with  his  weapon  as  well  as  strong 
of  body,  and  it  was  only  by  the  greatest  effort  that 
Caius  could  stand  before  his  attack.  Without  his 
shield,  too,  Caius  was  fully  exposed  to  the  furious  blows 
that  were  aimed  at  his  head.  In  the  beginning  he 
had  placed  himself  before  Bridiga  with  the  determina- 
tion to  save  her  with  his  life,  but  he  quickly  found 
that  in  leaping  to  escape  the  blows  of  the  Gaul,  he  was 
drawn  away  and  had  no  time  for  anything  but  to  leap 
and  parry,  all  the  time  panting  and  drawing  hard  for 
breath.  At  last,  however,  the  Gaul  in  his  eagerness 
rushed  with  such  mad  fury  that  he  stumbled,  and 
Caius,  using  his  heavy  sword  with  both  hands,  quickly 


THE    COMMANDER    FIGHTS    AND    RUNS    AWAY       251 

ran  it  through  the  body  of  his  enemy  and  left  it  sticking. 
And  then  he  himself  fell,  panting  with  exhaustion. 

But  he  was  up  again  in  an  instant.  Close  at  hand 
lay  the  guard,  dead ;  and  near  him  the  Gaul  with  whom 
he  had  fought,  sorely  wounded.  Not  far  away,  huddled 
into  a  knot,  with  a  horrid  frown  on  his  face,  lay  the 
third  Gaul,  and  close  by  was  Bridiga  in  a  pool  of  blood, 
pale  and  still. 

Along  the  road  a  short  distance  away  there  now 
sounded  the  rush  of  large  numbers  of  men  in  hot 
pursuit.  Caius  stayed  only  to  sprinkle  a  handful 
of  earth  over  the  body  of  Bridiga  in  token  of  burial. 
Then  he  plunged  into  the  depths  of  the  Belgian  forest. 


253 


THE  MAN  SEES  A  GREAT  SURRENDER 


254 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  MAN  MEETS  A  GLAD  SURPRISE 

ON  a  sunny  afternoon  two  years  after  the  occurrences 
last  recorded,  a  Roman  officer  of  about  four  and  twenty, 
followed  by  a  cohort  of  mounted  soldiers,  might  have 
been  seen  riding,  at  a  steady,  though  somewhat  wearied 
gait,  along  the  old  Haeduan  road  to  Bibracte,  the  capital 
of  the  Hseduans.  He  was  the  bearer  of  an  important 
message  to  Caesar's  Roman  agent  in  the  town. 

He  was  a  stoutly  built  man,  tall  and  straight.  His 
face  was  brown  with  exposure,  but  it  showed  firm, 
strong,  and  kindly. 

As  they  rode,  the  soldiers  joked  and  laughed.  But 
the  young  officer  mused.  He  had  spent  six  years  in 
the  army  of  Caesar,  marching  up  and  down  Gaul, 
across  and  abroad  over  the  whole  Celtic  land.  He 
thought  of  the  thousands  of  lives  he  had  seen  laid  down 
in  a  hundred  battles  and  sieges.  Again,  in  his  mind, 
there  rose  the  tumbling  black  smoke  from  the  ashes  of  a 
thousand  towns  and  villages  that  he  had  seen  lapped 
up  by  red  flames,  lit  either  by  victorious  Romans  or 
despairing  Gauls.  His  face  grew  positively  sad  as  he 
heard  again  the  cries  and  screams  of  the  hordes  of 
Gallic  women  and  children  he  had  seen  left  fatherless 
and  destitute  after  some  great  slaughter  at  the  Romans' 
hands.  He  thought  of  the  huddles  of  women  and 
children  he  had  seen  here  and  there,  throughout  Gaul, 

255 


256  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

bemoaning,  in  hunger  and  wretchedness,  their  loss  of 
relations,  friends,  and  liberty. 

As  he  mused,  the  officer  now  realized  that  he  was  no 
longer  the  Caius  who  had  entered  Gaul,  full  of  a  great 
bitterness  toward  its  people.  He  had  grown  to  be  a 
strong  and  seasoned  soldier,  and  had  risen  to  the  rank 
of  legatus.  But  he  had  hated  bloodshed  and  carnage 
more  and  more  with  each  great  battle  he  had  seen. 
He  heartily  wished  it  could  all  be  ended.  But  he  felt 
that  such  could  not  be  the  case  soon.  Roman  arms  and 
honor  must  be  upheld,  and  above  all  else,  Caesar's 
plans  must  be  carried  out  to  a  definite  end. 

And  now  within  the  last  few  weeks,  he  had  seen  the 
Roman  army  besiege  Avaricum  in  an  effort  to  put 
down  the  great  rebellion  which  was  spreading  through- 
out all  Gaul,  threatening  to  drive  out  the  Roman  army 
in  disgrace,  and  upset  Roman  dominion  in  the  land 
forever.  From  the  Roman  entrenchments  above  Avari- 
cum he  had  seen  the  smoke  from  twenty  Gallic  towns 
rising  at  the  same  time,  and  he  with  other  Romans 
knew  the  Gauls  meant  to  starve  the  Romans  at  the 
sacrifice  of  their  own  homes.  While  directing  a  cohort 
of  soldiers  who  were  working  some  engines  in  an  attack 
on  the  walls,  he  had  seen  a  Gaul  who  cast  balls  of  fire 
and  tallow  upon  a  Roman  turret,  shot  in  the  right  side 
and  killed,  so  that  he  tumbled  headlong  from  the  high 
wall  into  the  fire  which  his  own  efforts  had  kindled. 
Another  Gaul  took  his  place  and  was  in  his  turn  pierced 
with  a  bolt,  and  toppled  into  the  crackling  flames 
below.  Then  another,  and  another,  and  still  others 
shared  the  same  fate. 

"This  shows,"  he  mused,  "how  invincible  are  these 


THE    MAN   MEETS    A   GLAD    SURPRISE  257 

people.  Here  have  we  been  for  six  years  trying  to 
subdue  them,  and  yet  they  fight  and  die.  But,  I 
remember,  too,  how  invincibly  Caesar's  men,  at  his 
command,  worked  away  during  the  siege  in  the  coldest 
rain  and  wind,  with  scarcely  enough  food  to  keep 
them  alive.  I  remember  also,  that  Caesar,  always 
anxious  for  the  welfare  of  his  soldiers,  offered  to  raise 
the  siege.  'No!'  shouted  they.  'Let  us  take  the 
place!'  Perhaps  Caesar  knows  that  the  end  must  be 
near.  The  gods  know  I  hope  so." 

As  he  thus  thought  and  felt,  he  was  broken  in  upon 
by  the  exclamations  of  his  companions  at  the  sight  of 
the  thick  walls  and  low  houses  of  Bibracte,  and  soon 
he  had  arrived  in  the  market  place  of  the  town,  where 
he  was  surrounded  by  a  throng  of  the  townsmen,  eager 
to  question  and  learn  the  news. 

Caius  at  once  sought  the  house  of  Procillus,  now 
wedded  with  Hilda,  the  daughter  of  Ariovistus,  and 
living  in  the  capital  city  of  the  Haeduans  as  an  agent 
of  Caesar.  The  message  was  soon  delivered  and  the 
two  sat  and  talked  over  past  happenings  and  the  future 
prospects  of  Gaul. 

"I  am  much  uneased  for  the  welfare  of  my  land," 
said  Procillus.  "The  present  uprising  is  the  greatest 
since  Caesar  came  into  Gaul.  Even  the  Haeduans  here, 
Caesar's  stanchest  friends  and  supporters,  are  restless 
and  have  been  restrained  from  joining  in  the  general 
revolt  only  by  the  belief  that  Caesar  is  well-nigh  in- 
vincible. The  calls  that  Caesar  has  made  on  the 
Haeduans  and  Boians  have  almost  exhausted  their 
resources  and  there  has  been  much  suffering.  The 
younger  and  bolder  leaders  among  them  think  this 


258  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

would  be  their  best  opportunity  to  free  themselves  from 
the  Roman  yoke.  Also,  many  hostages  given  to  Caesar 
by  other  nations  are  now  quartered  among  the 
Haeduans  to  be  fed,  housed,  and  clothed.  There  are 
now  three  hundred  Nervians  who  have  been  quartered 
here  for  nearly  two  years  —  ever  since  those  people 
almost  captured  the  legion  of  Quintus  Cicero,  shortly 
after  you  were  so  nearly  offered  a  victim  to  their  godsy 
By  the  way,  I  saw  to-day  the  maiden  whom  you  so 
boldly  and  rashly  went  to  see.  She  is  a  hostage  at  the 
house  of  old  Coturix,  the  father  of  Dumnorix  and  Divi- 
ciacus.  You  remember  Diviciacus  as  a  stanch  ally  of 
Caesar,  and  Dumnorix,  whom  Caesar  had  killed  for 
treachery  y 

"  I  remember  them  both,"  said  Caius.  "  But  you  are 
mistaken  about  the  girl.  I  have  grieved  always  that 
she  was  slain  in  the  forest  not  far  from  Bagacum." 

"At  any  rate,  the  girl  of  whom  I  speak  is  called 
Bridiga,  the  daughter  of  old  King  Boduagnotus.  She 
has  grown  to  be  a  most  beautiful  and  stately  woman." 

"I  much  doubt,  Procillus,  if  the  Bridiga  whom  I  knew 
lives,"  returned  Caius.  "I  saw  her  dead  myself,  and 
performed  the  rite  of  burial.  But  I  shall  soon  see. 
If  she  is  alive,  I  shall  be  the  happiest  of  men,  for  I 
love  her.  I  came  to  Gaul  to  avenge  the  death  of  my 
father,  who  was  slain  by  a  Gaul,  and  by  his  death  I 
was  disinherited  of  a  goodly  fortune  and  my  mother 
left  in  wretched  poverty.  I  came  into  this  land,  hating 
all  Gauls  and  believing  them  all  base  and  mercenary, 
but  I  have  learned  that  I  was  mistaken  and  that  there 
are  noble  and  worthy  men  in  other  lands  besides  in  Rome. 
Now  I  have  loved  this  maid  since  the  first  day  I  saw 


THE    MAN    MEETS    A   GLAD    SURPRISE  259 

her,  and  if  she  be  yet  alive,  I  shall  find  her  at  once. 
Pray  tell  me  how  I  may  find  the  house  where  she  is 
quartered/' 

"Old  Coturix  lives  upon  the  hill  over  which  this 
street  passes,"  said  Procillus.  "You  will  know  the 
house  because  it  is  the  largest  and  best  there.  But 
you  must  wait  until  I  can  have  food  brought  for  you." 

But  Caius  in  his  eagerness  was  already  at  the  door, 
when  a  great  tumult  of  voices  rose  and  swelled  and 
spread  on  the  night's  stillness  —  voices  angry,  snarling, 
full  of  the  hoarse  roar  of  animal  savagery.  The  Roman 
youth  stopped,  filled  with  an  undefined  dread.  "What 
means  that?"  he  asked,  turning  to  his  companion. 

"I  do  not  know,"  hurriedly  replied  Procillus.  "Re- 
main here  and  I  will  find  out."  And  so  saying,  he  stepped 
forth  into  the  narrow  street,  closing  the  door  behind 
him. 

Caius  quickly  placed  his  ear  to  an  opening  in  the  wall 
and  listened.  The  voices  had  come  nearer,  had  spread, 
were  everywhere,  now  mingled  with  the  crash  of  battered 
house  walls,  the  occasional  clash  of  arms,  and  shrieks 
and  screams  of  pain. 

"Why  should  we  give  all  our  substance  from  year  to 
year  to  feed  a  Roman  army  that  will  conquer  us  and 
make  us  all  slaves  ?"  he  heard  one  voice  say. 

"Why  should  we  feed  the  Roman  dogs  when  our 
own  wives  and  children  are  perishing  for  lack  of  food  ? " 
said  another. 

"Come  forth,  old  Mercator  from  Rome.  I  will  pay 
you  the  debt  I  owe  you."  And  with  this  he  heard  a 
shout  of  pain,  a  curse,  and  a  yell  of  Gallic  triumph. 

"The   Gergovians   have   beaten   Caesar   from   their 

STANDARD    BEARER \J 


260  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

strong-walled  city,"  shouted  another.  "Now  is  our 
time  to  drive  them  all  from  Gaul." 

"Our  wives  and  children  starve  in  order  that  Caesar's 
soldiers  may  feed.  Come  out,  old  trader  in  Gauls. 
You  have  often  enough  sold  Gallic  noblemen  into 
slavery  in  the  Roman  forum.  Now  here  is  death  for 
you.'^ 

And  so  the  clamor  swelled  and  grew. 

"We  must  escape,  Caius,"  exclaimed  Procillus  as  he 
came  hurriedly  back  into  the  room.  "The  Haeduans 
are  in  revolt  and  are  even  now  killing  all  Roman  citi- 
zens, traders,  and  hostages  to  Caesar  that  they  can  find 
in  Bibracte.  Dress  quickly  in  this  Gallic  garment 
and  seek  to  reach  the  gates  and  depart  if  possible." 

The  youth's  only  thought  was  of  Bridiga.  If  she 
were  really  alive,  he  must  find  her.  Now  he  dashed 
for  the  door  without  his  armor,  or  even  his  sword. 
Procillus  barely  arrested  him  by  the  arm.  "Wait," 
he  exclaimed.  "Would  you  rush  to  your  death  ? 
They  would  kill  you  before  you  get  twenty  paces  from 
the  door.  Do  as  I  bid.  Put  on  your  armor  except 
your  helmet,  throw  over  all  this  Gallic  cloak,  and  then 
go  quickly  as  though  you  were  a  Gaul." 

Caius  obeyed  and  was  soon  in  the  street  in  the  midst 
of  the  raging  populace,  moving  as  rapidly  as  he  dared 
toward  the  house  of  Coturix.  Torches  flared  here 
and  there,  dimly  lighting  a  sea  of  faces.  But  Caius 
rapidly  passed  among  them  unnoticed,  and  soon 
reached  the  house  he  sought.  At  the  door,  he  found 
an  old  man  and  his  wife,  but  no  maiden. 

"Are  you  the  noble  Coturix  ?"  Caius  asked  hurriedly. 

"I  am,"  was  the  brief  reply. 


THE    MAN    MEETS    A   GLAD    SURPRISE  26l 

"Where  is  Bridiga,  the  Nervian  hostage  who  lodges 
with  you  ?".  he  breathlessly  asked. 

"We  do  not  know,"  the  old  Gaul  replied.  "She  has 
fled." 

Caius's  mind  was  in  a  state  of  utter  confusion.  Would 
these  old  people  wish  to  save  the  girl  or  would  they  be 
ready  to  hand  her  over  to  the  Gauls  to  slaughter? 
Did  they  know  he  was  a  Roman  ?  Or  did  they  think 
him  a  Gaul  ?  What  should  he  say  to  win  their  con- 
fidence and  thus  find  and  rescue  her?  All  this  he 
wondered,  as  he  stood  a  moment,  with  dropped  head. 
Even  while  he  debated  this  question  in  his  mind,  a 
knot  of  Gauls  had  gathered  at  the  door. 

"Where  is  the  hostage  that  has  been  quartered  with 
you,  Coturix  ?"  the  leader  called.. 

"We  do  not  know;  she  has  fled,"  answered  the  old 
man. 

"We  are  certain  she  was  here  only  yesterday ;  I  saw 
her,"  argued  the  spokesman.  "And  how  is  she  clean 
gone  so  quickly?" 

"Friends,  I  have  spent  my  life  among  you,  in  the 
service  of  the  state.  I  have  given  my  two  noble  sons, 
Dumnorix  and  Diviciacus,  to  serve  you.  If  you  now 
doubt  my  word,  search  my  house,"  replied  he,  simply. 
"We  know  you  for  a  man  of  honor,"  replied  the 
spokesman.  "We  will  not  search  your  house.  Come, 
men,  let  us  hasten  on." 

Meanwhile,  in  the  confusion,  Caius  had  quietly 
slipped  past  the  old  people,  and  entered  the  room. 
Passing  through  it,  he  found  himself  in  a  rather  smaller 
room,  dimly  lighted.  Of  a  sudden,  he  also  found  him- 
self, much  to  his  amazement,  confronted  by  a  hand- 


262 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


some  creature,  with  long  golden  locks,  who  stood 
braced,  with  a  drawn  dagger,  ready  to  spring  upon 
any  intruder.  Caius  stood  for  a  moment  dumfounded, 
then  quickly  recovered  his  wits,  and  drew  his  sword. 


In  this  movement,  the  Gallic  cloak  with  which  he  had 
partly  covered  his  head,  fell  so  that  the  light  shone 
full  in  his  face. 

"O  Caius,  it  is  I,  Bridiga  !"  she  exclaimed.     "Would 
you  kill  me  with  your  cruel  Roman  sword  ?" 


THE    MAN    MEETS    A   GLAD    SURPRISE  263 

"Bridiga!"  he  exclaimed.  "Is  it  really  you?  I 
thought  you  were  a  big  Gallic  soldier  ready  to  stab 
me  with  that  dagger.  How  you  have  grown !  And 
how  beautiful !  And  just  to  think !  I  have  thought 
all  this  time  you  were  dead." 

"And  just  to  think,"  she  mimicked,  "I  have  had 
some  thoughts,  too.  I  thought  all  the  time  that 
Roman  soldiers  were  brave.  But  I  know  one  who  ran 
away  and  left  his  sweetheart  in  the  forest  beset  by 
enemies." 

Caius  turned  red  and  tried  to  excuse  himself,  but 
she  in  jest  mocked  him  the  more. 

And  while  they  teased  each  other  in  sheer  happiness, 
forgetful  of  the  danger  that  surged  about  them,  old 
Coturix  came  in?  and  seeing  their  glances,  he  under- 
stood. 

"Go,  my  children,"  he  said.  "You  must  not  tarry 
here.  Others  of  the  townsmen  are  likely  to  come  at 
any  moment  to  search  the  house.  I  cannot  answer  for 
the  consequences  if  you  are  found.  Here  are  Gallic 
cloaks.  Throw  them  on  and  go.  At  the  city  gate 
show  this  ring  I  will  give  you,  and  the  guard  will  let 
you  pass.  Travel  by  the  southern  road.  At  the  great 
oak  standing  at  the  first  brook,  a  small  road  turns 
away  into  the  hills.  Follow  it  for  a  mile,  and  you  will 
reach  a  little  farm,  kept  by  Gitus,  a  dependent  of  mine. 
Show  him  the  ring  and  ask  for  food  and  two  horses. 
Escape  to  Caesar's  camp  if  you  can.  Farewell." 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  MAN  FORGETS  HIS  MOTIVE 

NEXT  day,  Caius  and  Bridiga,  on  horses  given  them 
by  the  client  of  old  Coturix,  were  riding  rapidly  south- 
ward toward  Gergovia,  where  Caius  supposed  Caesar 
was  yet  posted. 

"I  wish  I  had  my  cohort  of  good  Roman  legionaries," 
lamented  Caius,  as  the  ascent  of  a  long  hill  forced  them 
to  slacken  their  pace.  "We  may  need  them  at  any 
time  on  this  road,  and  besides,  Caesar  will  censure  me 
for  a  careless,  improvident  officer." 

"Perhaps  you  had  better  leave  me  here  and  go  back 
and  look  for  your  dear  cohort,"  said  Bridiga,  teasingly. 

uYou  know  very  well  I  shall  not  leave  you,"  said 
Caius. 

"Know  very  well  you  won't  leave  me  ?"  mocked  she. 
"How  should  I  know  it?  How. am  I  to  know  what 
you  would  not  do  ?  Really,  I  rather  believe  you  would 
leave  me;  for  a  soldier  who  will  bury  a  maiden  alive 
and  leave  her  in  the  forest  is  likely  to  leave  her  again." 

Caius  reddened,  for  he  had  always  felt  that  he  had 
run  away  with  undue  haste  on  that  frosty  echoing 
morning  in  the  forests  of  Belgium. 

"But,"  he  asked,  "what  is  to  be  said  of  a  maiden 
who  fainted  to  deceive  a  man  who  had  risked  his  life 
and  all  his  military  glory  merely  to  see  her  ?  Could 
you  think  of  no  other  way  to  get  rid  of  me  ?" 

"But  just  think  again,"  she  parried,  "of  a  man  who 

264 


THE    MAN    FORGETS    HIS    MOTIVE  265 

would  go  two  whole  years  without  asking  after  the 
maid  who  risked  her  life  to  drop  a  sprig  of  mistletoe 
to  save  him  from  the  glory  of  the  gods  !" 

"And  you  climbed  into  the  oak  and  dropped  the  sprig 
of  mistletoe?"  he  exclaimed.  "And  I  had  never 
guessed  it.  You  were  so  good  to  me.  And  yet  in 
all  these  two  years  you  sent  me  no  message  that  you 
were  alive." 

"They  told  me  you  were^dead,"  she  said.  "And 
some  one  told  me  of  a  beautiful  Roman  girl.  Besides, 
soon  afterward,  you  cruel  Romans  came  into  our  land 
and  fought  us  and  took  hostages.  I  was  in  that  number 
and  have  been  held  as  a  common  slave  among  the 
Haeduans  at  the  command  of  Caesar.  Oh,  I  hate  him  ! 
He  is  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble  of  our  people.  But 
I  love  you,  and  because  all  my  family  are  dead,  I  shall 
try  to  learn  to  be  a  good  Roman  for  you."  And  so 
they  joked  and  bantered  each  other  as  they  rode. 

Later  in  the  day,  on  coming  to  a  turn  in  the  road, 
they  saw  ahead  of  them  two  persons,  apparently  Gauls, 
riding  horseback,  hastening  forward  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  Caius's  first  impulse  was  to  turn  aside  into  the 
forests  and  avoid  coming  in  contact  with  them,  but 
he  reflected  that  time  was  precious,  and  perhaps  those 
ahead  would  be  deceived  by  his-  and  Bridiga's  Gallic 
disguise,  and  so  allow  them  to  pass  unmolested.  So 
the  young  people  hurried  on,  and  in  a  short  time  came 
up  with  the  strangers,  and  were  just  passing  when 
Caius  and  Procillus  recognized  each  other  at  the  same 
moment.  The  latter  and  his  wife  had  barely  escaped 
from  Bibracte  with  their  lives,  and  were  glad  enough 
that  all  might  travel  together  to  Caesar's  camp. 


266 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


For  some  leagues,  their  way  lay  through  the  land  of 
the  Haeduans.  In  the  summer  sun,  the  grain  fields 
lay  ripening,  and  herds  of  sleek  cattle  browsed  in  the 


•&,  rv 

-/•  -  >    3 » 


l%? 


N#r?     t 


e 


v 


, 


woods  and  grass  lands.  Caesar  had  wisely  fostered  this 
nation  that  substance  might  be  procured  for  his  army. 
But  soon  they  came  into  the  lands  of  other  people, 
and  they  lay  blighted  and  bare.  Houses,  villages,  and 
towns  lay  leveled  in  ashes,  the  crops  were  destroyed, 
and  swarms  of  vultures  showed  where  the  cattle  had 


THE    MAN    FORGETS    HIS    MOTIVE  267 

been  killed  in  flocks.  Here  and  there  groups  of  half- 
clad  women  and  children  huddled  in  hunger  and  misery. 

"Vercingetorix  made  havoc  here,"  remarked  Caius. 
"With  his  cavalry  he  means  to  harass  Caesar  con- 
stantly and  destroy  all  food  supplies  so  as  to  force 
the  Romans  to  leave  Gaul." 

A  little  farther  on,  they  came  up  with  a  most  singular 
group.  One  Gaul  with  ears  cut  off  and  tongue  twisted 
out,  and  another  with  eyes  gouged  from  their  sockets, 
were  led  by  a  third,  whose  ears  and  nose  had  been 
sliced  away.  The  dried  and  clotted  blood  from  their 
hurts,  splotched  and  smeared  over  their  faces  and 
bodies,  rendered  them  a  ghastly  sight.  As  they  heard 
the  horses  come  up,  they  hastened  to  stagger  out  of 
the  road,  and  one  of  them  fell. 

"O  travelers,  whoever  you  be,  have  pity  on  us  and 
give  us  food,"  one  of  them  cried.  "For  six  days  we 
have  not  tasted  food,  and  our  pain  is  great.  We  die 
in  hunger  and  our  shame  is  known  to  all  men."  And 
each  wailed  and  wept, 

"How  come  you  in  such  a  plight  ?"  asked  Procillus. 
Caius  did  not  ask,  for  such  sights  had  grown  common 
to  him  in  the  beginning  of  the  year,  when  Vercingetorix, 
the  wily  and  energetic  chief  of  the  Arvernians,  was 
making  most  determined  efforts  to  force  all  Gaul  into 
his  army. 

"O  our  master,  because  we  refused  to  join  the  army 
of  Vercingetorix,  he  has  thus  maltreated  us.  We  had 
taken  the  oath  for  Caesar.  Vercingetorix  has  maimed 
hundreds  of  our  people  in  this  manner.  Even  the 
Romans  treat  us  not  so.  But  food,  give  us  food,  or  we 


starve." 


268  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

They  were  given  bread  and  bacon  from  the  small 
store  which  Caius  and  Bridiga  carried,  but  the  one 
whose  tongue  had  been  wrenched  out  could  make  only 
pitiable  efforts,  and  finally  gave  up,  and  lay  on  the 
ground,  wailing  and  crying. 

"Tell  me,"  said  Caius,  "where  Caesar's  army  is 
now. " 

"We  were  told  yesterday  that  Caesar  had  followed 
Vercingetorix  northward  and  now  prepared  to  besiege 
him  in  Alesia,"  one  of  the  Gauls  replied.  "I  hope 
Caesar  may  capture  him  and  do  to  him  as  he  has  done 
to  us.  The  curse  of  all  the  gods  be  upon  the  Arvernian 
upstart !" 

The  Gauls  readily  told  him  how  to  find  Caesar's  army, 
and  then  the  four  with  all  haste  set  out  northwestward 
to  strike  a  road  leading  more  directly  to  where  Caesar 
was  reported  to  be.  About  dusk  of  the  second  day 
afterwards,  the  party  reached  the  Roman  camp. 
Caius  asked  to  be  led  to  the  tent  of  the  Imperator 
himself. 

"Well,  Caius,"  said  Caesar,  "the  Haeduans  have 
already  repented  of  their  rashness  and  sent  me  back 
your  cohort,  safe  and  sound,  but  I  thought  you  were 
dead.  A  Gallic  deserter  told  me,  and  I  had  no  reason 
to  doubt  it.  But  I  see  now  that  you  have  at  least 
rescued  one  of  the  hostages,"  he  went  on,  glancing  at 
the  blushing  face  of  Bridiga. 

Caius  quickly  told  the  tale  of  their  escape  and  wander- 
ings, and  his  own  imprudence  with  regard  to  the  co- 
hort. Caesar  saw  in  the  faces  of  the  two  their  story. 

"Well,  Caius,  I  regret  that  you  were  careless  with 
the  cohort,  but  I  think  I  understand  the  reason  why, 


THE    MAN    FORGETS    HIS    MOTIVE  269 

and  I  can  forgive  you.  Mars  is  often  slighted  when 
Cupid  calls.  I  am  glad  to  see  you  back,  for  there  is 
great  work  to  be  done  to  take  the  city  of  Alesia.  All 
Gaul  has  at  last  united,  and  the  hardest  struggle  we 
have  had  is  now  before  us.  Even  if  I  loved  you  but  a 
little,  I  need  you  much.  But  what  is  to  be  done  with 
the  maid  ?" 

"I  would  marry  her  if  I  may,"  boldly  answered  Caius. 

"You  shall  if  you  will,"  said  Caesar.  "And  a  right 
good  marriage,  too,  for  she  is  a  princess,  the  daughter 
of  King  Boduagnotus,  the  ruler  of  the  Nervians. 
And  by  Venus,  they  are  the  bravest  of  all  the  Gauls. 
They  almost  beat  us  in  that  battle  on  the  Sabis." 

"She  has  been  a  princess  to  me  all  the  while  since 
I  first  saw  her,  even  before  I  knew  she  was  the  daughter 
of  a  king,"  said  Caius. 

"Well,  then,  Caius,  you  shall  marry  her  if  you  wish, 
at  a  more  opportune  time.  But  I  really  think  you  could 
make  a  marriage  at  Rome  that  would  be  more  help  to 
you.  Nevertheless,  since  I  see  your  mind  is  set,  marry 
her.  Take  your  sweetheart  now  to  the  tent  of  Tre- 
bonius  and  leave  her  with  Trebonia,  and  say  that  Caesar 
begs  that  she  will  keep  her  under  her  protection.  Then 
report  to  me  for  duty." 

And  Caius  and  Bridiga  turned  and  started  out  of  the 
tent.  At  the  door,  Caius  stopped  and  said,  "I  forgot, 
Imperator,  to  tell  you  that  Procillus  also  is  here  and 
wants  to  speak  with  you." 

"All  neglect  is  forgiven  you  now,  Caius,"  said 
Caesar,  laughingly.  uTell  him  to  come  to  me."  And 
he  waved  Caius  out. 


CHAPTER   III 
THE  MAN  SEES  A  GREAT  SIEGE   BEGUN 

ALESIA,  where  Vercingetorix  had  chosen  to  make  a 
stand  against  Caesar,  was  situated  on  a  rocky  eminence 
lying  between  two  small  rivers.  On  the  western 
side  of  the  town  was  a  large  plain,  and  on  all  other 
sides  were  small  valleys,  beyond  which  swelled  a  chain 
of  hills,  thus  almost  inclosing  the  town.  Alesia  itself 
was  strongly  walled,  and  the  greatest  portion  of  the 
eminence  dropped  sheer  and  perpendicular  away 
from  the  foot  of  the  ramparts,  thus  offering  little 
promise  of  success  in  an  effort  at  scaling. 

As  Vercingetorix  had  at  least  eighty  thousand  men 
shut  up  in  the  town,  and  Caesar  had  only  about  fifty 
thousand  with  which  to  combat  them,  the  Imperator, 
with  his  usual  strategical  foresight,  determined  to  be- 
siege the  place  rather  than  to  risk  an  assault  which 
would  be  almost  sure  to  prove  a  failure. 

So  he  summoned  old  Lucius  Cornelius  Balbus, 
his  chief  engineer,  and  gave  his  commands.  Soon 
this  officer  with  his  assistants  were  busy,  laying  out 
camps  on  the  hills  and  better  points  of  vantage.  Then 
the  legionaries,  with  pick,  shovel,  and  earth  baskets, 
built  the  camp,  strong  walled  and  deep  ditched,  and 
joined  them  each  to  the  other  with  long  trenches  and 
walls  of  earth.  In  some  places  the  trench  was  twenty  feet 
deep  and  twenty  feet  wide,  with  its  sides  perpendicular. 

270 


THE    MAN    SEES    A    GREAT    SIEGE    BEGUN  271 

This  work  was  hastened  day  and  night,  and  soon  a 
line  of  continuous  fortifications  encircled  the  whole 
town.  In  such  places  as  were  most  exposed  to  attack, 
three  trenches  were  dug.  The  earth  taken  from  them 
was  built  into  walls  parallel  with  the  trenches,  on  the 
side  away  from  the  town.  The  wall  was  strengthened 
with  hurdles  and  trees  wattled  in.  At  the  top  of  these 
walls  there  projected  toward  the  town  a  continuous 
line  of  bristling  points  formed  of  bushy-topped  trees 
with  the  limbs  chopped  off  and  brought  to  sharp 
points,  looking  like  stag's  horns. 

Outside  of  these  main  trenches  and  toward  the  walls 
of  Alesia,  five  rows  of  parallel  ditches  with  slanting 
sides  were  dug.  In  the  bottom  of  these,  sharpened 
brush  and  limbs  were  fastened.  These  were  of  such 
length  that  they  could  be  interwoven  above  the  ground 
in  such  manner  as  to  form  a  stout  hedge  of  threatening 
points.  Still  beyond  this  were  dug  eight  rows  of  conical 
pits,  three  feet  deep  and  three  feet  apart,  placed  checker- 
wise.  In  the  bottom  of  each  of  these  was  sunk  a  stake 
the  thickness  of  a  man's  thigh,  upright,  sharpened, 
and  the  point  hardened  with  fire.  Some  of  the  soldiers 
called  these  wolf  pits  in  which  the  Gallic  wolves  were 
to  be  caught.  "No,"  said  Titus.  "They  are  lilies." 
And  the  soldiers  laughed,  some  one  told  Caesar,  and 
thenceforward  they  were  lilies. 

Beyond  the  rows  of  lilies,  lines  of  stakes  were  driven 
into  the  ground,  and  to  the  top  of  these  were  fastened 
iron  hooks  with  barbed  points.  These  the  soldiers 
called  "spurs."  New  names  had  to  be  found  for  these 
objects,  for  they  had  never  before  Caesar's  time  been 
used  in  the  Roman  army. 


272 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


Before  these  works  were  finished,  the  Romans  were 
one  night  startled  from  their  dreams  by  the  thunder 
of  a  great  body  of  cavalry.  A  sentinel  reported  that  it 


was  the  cavalry  of  Vercingetorix,  leaving  Alesia  before  it 
should  be  completely  shut  in.  A  deserter  from  Alesia 
brought  word  the  next  morning  that  Vercingetorix 
had  sent  away  his  cavalry  to  raise  help  among  the 


THE    MAN    SEES    A   GREAT   SIEGE    BEGUN  273 

other  Gallic  nations  for  one  final,  stupendous  effort 
against  the  Romans. 

"We  shall  soon  have  an  army  on  each  side  of  us," 
said  Caesar.  "Fellow  soldiers,  we  must  hasten  our 
fortifications." 

And  so  the  lilies  and  the  spurs,  the  walls  and  the 
trenches,  the  camp  and  the  towers,  were  built  with  all 
dispatch.  The  soldiers  worked  so  willingly  and  with 
such  good  results  that  Caesar  said  he  could  overturn 
the  heavens  with  such  men.  And,  this  word  being 
passed  among  them,  they  worked  all  the  harder. 

Then,  as  it  was  certain  that  an  army  of  relief  collected 
from  all  Gaul  would  come  to  Alesia,  a  line  of  fortifica- 
tions similar  to  the  line  next  the  town  was  built  on 
the  outer  side  of  the  Roman  army,  so  that  the  Romans 
themselves  lay  between  the  two  lines,  one  next  to 
Alesia,  seven  miles  in  circuit,  and  the  other  next  to  the 
country,  fourteen  miles  about. 

On  a  day  near  the  end  of  five  weeks,  when  the  Roman 
fortifications  were  almost  completed,  at  about  the  third 
watch,  the  Roman  soldiers  heard  a  great  noise  of  weep- 
ing and  lamenting,  and  looking  up  to  the  gates  of  the 
city,  they  saw  issue  forth  an  army  different  from  any 
they  had  encountered.  The  old  men,  the  women, 
and  the  children  were  being  sent  away  in  order  to  save 
the  food  supplies  in  the  town  for  the  fighting  men. 
On  they  came,  down  the  slopes,  with  outstretched 
hands,  some  of  the  women  holding  out  their  small 
children,  pleading  with  Caesar  to  take  them  as  slaves 
and  give  them  food.  Starvation  stalked  in  the  town, 
they  said,  and  one  chief  had  even  urged  that  the 
women  and  children  should  be  eaten. 


274  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

Caesar  saw  in  this  condition  one  of  the  surest  means 
of  helping  to  reduce  Vercingetorix  to  submission  by 
forcing  these  useless  consumers  back  upon  the  town. 
So  the  Roman  soldiers  with  spear  and  sword  pricked 
them  back  up  the  slopes  to  the  gates,  amid  their  doleful 
cries  and  lamentations. 

At  the  end  of  forty  days  the  Roman  works  were  com- 
pleted. Hardly  had  the  soldiers  a  breathing  spell 
from  their  labors  when  the  Gallic  army  of  relief  ap- 
peared upon  the  hills  southeast  of  the  town,  a  horde 
250,000  strong.  The  Romans  heard  the  shouts  of 
joy  in  Alesia,  and  knew  that  a  final  test  was  near  at 
hand.  Each  nerved  himself,  under  Caesar's  exhortation, 
to  do  his  best  for  the  glory  of  the  state  and  the  Im- 
perator. 

Even  the  next  day  there  was  a  cavalry  battle, 
though  lasting  but  a  short  time,  and  the  Gauls  had  the 
worst  of  it. 

Caesar  was  now  inclosed  by  330,000  Gauls.  His 
own  army  was  less  than  one  sixth  of  that  number. 
But  in  this  case  as  in  all  others,  the  resources  and 
courage  of  Caesar  seemed  to  increase  with  the  magni- 
tude of  his  opposition.  He  put  the  best  face  upon  all 
matters,  and  the  soldiers  were  cheered  and  strengthened. 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE  MAN  HEARS  ANOTHER  STORY 

AT  midnight  of  the  second  day  after  the  relief  army 
had  appeared  before  Alesia,  Caius  was  awakened  from 
his  slumber  by  a  confusion  of  shouts  and  yells,  mingled 
with  the  rattle  of  arms,  the  steady  call  of  the  Roman 
sentinels,  and  the  hoarse  blare  of  the  trumpets.  He  knew 
his  place  on  the  walls,  as  every  Roman  knew  his  place. 
He  hastened  to  it,  and  despite  the  darkness  and  con- 
fusion, found  there  most  of  the  men  of  his  cohorts. 
From  the  shouts  on  all  sides,  he  could  tell  that  an 
attack  was  being  made  in  the  complete  circuit  of  the 
outer  line  of  works. 

The  Romans  stood  stoutly  to  their  posts,  though 
taken  unawares.  In  the  darkness  Caius  could  dimly 
discern,  at  the  outer  edge  of  the  second  trench,  the 
forms  of  thousands  of  Gauls,  working  like  demons, 
filling  the  ditch  with  bundles  of  brush  and  hurdles, 
while  beyond  them  pressed  other  thousands  in  solid 
mass.  They  hurled  upon  the  Romans  a  storm  of 
javelins,  arrows,  and  stones.  The  Romans  in  their 
turn  cast  javelins,  pointed  stakes,  leaden  balls,  and 
stones  of  a  pound  weight  upon  their  assailants.  Thus 
the  Romans  used  no  shields,  and  many  were  killed 
and  wounded.  The  thuds  of  the  stones  as  they  struck, 
the  hissing  and  whirring  of  arrows  and  javelins,  the 
shouts  and  yells  of  attack  and  defense,  were  mingled 
thick  with  the  screams  and  groans  of  death. 

STANDARD    BEARER 1 8  2/5 


276  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

But  in  spite  of  all,  the  Gauls  were  advancing.  Now 
they  had  filled  a  ditch  and  were  leaping  and  scrambling 
over  it  and  right  up  to  the  wall,  pulling  away  the 
pointed  tree  tops  which  still  held  them  back.  The 
Romans  redoubled  their  efforts,  and  the  Gauls  were 
checked  only  on  the  brink  of  the  wall. 

Just  at  this  juncture  the  Roman  fortifications  next 
to  the  town  were  attacked  by  the  Gauls  from  within. 
With  shouts  and  yells  more  fearful  than  the  others, 
if  possible,  they  pressed  upon  the  ramparts.  Caius 
was  thus  forced  to  send  half  his  men  to  defend  the 
inner  wall.  This  so  slacked  the  storm  of  missies  his 
men  had  been  casting  upon  the  outer  assailants,  that 
the  latter  began  once  more  with  renewed  efforts  to 
make  headway. 

Caius  realized  that  the  situation  was  extremely 
desperate,  and  began  to  wonder  why  Caesar  did  not 
send  aid  to  this  part.  And  just  then  Caesar  himself 
appeared. 

"Why  so  few  men,  Caius?"  he  asked.  "Have  so 
many  been  killed  already?  Where  is  Lanius?" 

"I  do  not  know,  Imperator,"  replied  Caius.  "  I  have 
not  seen  him." 

"I  ordered  him  to  come  to  this  part  with  three 
cohorts,"  said  Caesar.  "I  do  not  understand."  And 
he  was  gone. 

Then  Caius  shouted  a  few  words  of  encouragement 
to  his  men,  they  fought  with  increased  energy,  other 
cohorts  came  up,  and  soon  the  enemy  was  repulsed  in 
all  parts. 

Exhausted  by  this  exertion,  Caius  at  once  retired 
to  his  tent  for  a  snatch  of  sleep.  He  was  so  weary, 


THE    MAN    HEARS    ANOTHER    STORY 


277 


he  threw  himself  down  without  removing  any  of  his 
armor  except  his  helmet,  and  he  was  soon  in  a  sound 
sleep. 

He  was  awakened  by  a  jangling  noise  and  a  blow 
upon  his  shoulders.     He  sprang  up,  clutching  wildly. 


He  grasped  the  tunic  of  some  one  who  was  near,  and 
this  was  left  in  his  hand  as  the  wearer  slipped  away. 
The  noise  within  caused  the  guard  at  the  door  to  place 
his  spear  across  the  entrance  of  the  tent.  The  intruder 
was  thus  stopped. 

When  a  light  was  brought,  the  guard  pulled  away  the 


278  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

cloak  with  which  the  captive  covered  his  face,  and  there 
stood  Eredox,  at  last  fairly  caught. 

At  day,  Caius  carried  the  old  Gaul  before  Caesar 
and  told  of  the  several  attempts  that  had  been  made 
on  his  life,  and  of  his  belief  that  Eredox  had  made  each 
of  them. 

Caesar  commanded  that  Eredox  be  led  away  to  in- 
stant crucifixion.  "You  have  tried  to  take  the  life 
of  one  of  my  best  officers  at  a  time  when  I  most  need 
all  I  have.  If  you  had  given  no  other  cause,  I  would 
make  you  pay  the  penalty.  Besides,  I  have  some 
recollection  of  your  name  as  one  of  the  chief  of  the  cut- 
throats in  Sulla's  butcheries  of  good  Roman  citizens. 
Let  him  be  led  to  crucifixion  at  once,  Lictor,"  said 
Caesar. 

The  face  of  Eredox  showed  no  sign  of  emotion.  "If 
you  would  grant  me  the  remnant  of  my  life,  I  can  tell 
something  that  might  be  of  value  to  this  youth  here," 
he  said,  pointing  toward  Caius.  "I  can  also  tell  why 
I  tried  to  kill  him  and  why  I  will  never  try  again." 

"Caius,"  said  Caesar,  "you  have  served  me  well  and 
may  ask  favors.  Shall  I  spare  the  life  of  this  fickle 
and  treacherous  Gaul  who  has  tried  so  often  to  kill 
you  and  now  claims  to  know  things  of  value  to  you  ? " 

"Imperator,  I  much  doubt  him,"  said  Caius.  "Do 
as  you  will  with  him  without  regard  to  my  poor  in- 


terests." 


"Then,  I  spare  you,  Gaul,"  said  Caesar,  "in  the 
case  of  your  telling  a  straight  tale.  If  you  do  not, 
it  may  be  the  worse  for  you,  yet.  There  is  time  to 
hear  you  now.  Your  countrymen  are  not  likely  to 
attack  my  camp  this  morning.  So  proceed." 


THE    MAN   HEARS   ANOTHER    STORY  279 

At  a  signal  from  Caesar,  all  others  retired  except 
Caius  and  Eredox.  The  latter  then  began:  "To  go 
back  so  all  will  be  understood,  I  was  born  a  noble 
of  the  Senones.  At  twelve  years  of  age,  I  was  given 
as  a  hostage  by  my  people  to  the  Allobroges,  and 
they  after  a  time  treacherously  sent  me  as  a  hostage 
for  themselves  to  Rome.  There  I  was  finally  freed  from 
all  restraint,  saw  something  of  a  gladiator's  life,  and 
at  last  enrolled  as  a  soldier  in  the  legions  of  Sulla.  I 
served  through  all  his  campaigns  and  came  to  be  well 
known  for  my  bravery  in  the  battle  of  Chaeronaea. 
After  Sulla's  return  to  Rome,  during  his  proscriptions, 
I'was  constantly  engaged  in  aiding  him  to  rid  himself 
of  his  enemies,  receiving  many  and  ample  rewards. 

"One  day  Lanius,  a  rough  butcher,  who  lived  near 
the  cattle  market  and  who  had  saved  a  little  money, 
came  to  me  and  proposed  to  divide  with  me  the  rich 
estate  of  this  youth's  father  if  I  would  safely  get  him 
out  of  the  way.  I  wanted  to  know  of  what  crime  we 
could  accuse  him,  so  we  would  have  at  least  a  shadow 
of  an  excuse  in  case  any  questions  were  asked.  He 
said  we  needed  no  excuse,  except  the  wealth  of  the  man, 
and  that  he  was  guilty  of  no  crime  whatever.  To  kill 
him  and  secure  his  property  would  be  easy  and  safe  in 
the  excitement  of  the  times.  I  was  not  difficult  to 
convince,  as  I  had  already  carried  out  two  or  three  such 
schemes,  and  really  felt  little  fear.  So  I  killed  him  in 
his  own  house  with  the  aid  of  two  other  Gauls,  but 
he  fought  more  fiercely  than  we  expected  and  he  killed 
both  of  my  friends." 

Caius  had  sought  his  sword  and  half  drew  it  from  its 
scabbard. 


280  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Hold,  young  man,  and  be  quiet,"  said  the  old  rogue, 
coolly.  "I  have  Caesar's  promise  of  safety.  Besides, 
I  have  not  yet  told  the  thing  that  may  be  of  help  to 
you." 

"Yes,  Caius,  he  has  our  promise,"  said  Caesar,  with 
that  calm  that  showed  when  his  greatest  rage  was 
suppressed.  "Let  him  proceed." 

"Under  pretense  of  necessary  legal  delay  of  I  know 
not  what  sort,  old  butcher  Lanius  put  off  giving  me  my 
share  of  the  booty.  I  went  to  him  for  it  time  and  again, 
but  always  there  was  some  reason  why  it  was  not 
ready  for  me.  Others  for  whom  I  had  performed 
similar  services  put  me  off  in  the  same  way.  Mean- 
while Sulla  settled  the  legion  in  which  I  had  served, 
at  Spoletum,  and  allotted  me  a  considerable  property 
there.  But  I  wished  money  so  I  could  live  at  Rome. 
I  had  grown  too  old  to  be  a  gladiator  again,  and  had 
worn  out  the  bounty  of  Sulla.  Soon  he  retired  to  his 
villa  and  died.  Then  I  had  nothing  further  to  depend 
upon. 

"So  I  went  to  old  Lanius  a  last  time  and  asked  for 
my  due.  Once  again  he  tried  to  put  me  off  with  some 
idle  excuse.  He  was  living  in  grandeur  in  the  house 
of  Caius's  father.  I  was  angered  beyond  what  I  could 
bear.  So  I  slew  him  there  and  escaped  to  my  little 
farm  at  Spoletum,  where  I  lived  till  Caesar's  coming 
to  Gaul.  All  the  time  I  was  living  there,  this  youth," 
indicating  Caius,  "dwelt  near  by,  but  I  did  not  know 
who  he  was. 

"Now,  why  have  I  tried  more  than  once  to  kill  this 
young  man  also  ?  you  ask.  At  Spoletum,  when  I 
tried  to  take  his  sheep,  I  had  no  care  as  to  whether  I 


THE    MAN    HEARS    ANOTHER   STORY  28l 

killed  him  or  not,  for  I  did  not  know  him.  I  only  wanted 
a  sheep  or  two.  Later  when  I  heard  that  there  was  a 
young  Lanius  with  the  army  of  Caesar  in  Gaul,  I  knew 
he  must  be  the  son  of  the  old  Lanius.  So  I  went  to 
him  and  told  him  my  story  and  demanded  payment  of 
him.  He  said  he  had  no  clear  title  to  the  property 
and  might  yet  lose  it.  If  I  would  kill  young  Caius, 
he  would  divide.  This  I  tried  more  than  once  to  do, 
but  always  failed.  Every  effort  has  been  made  in 
the  night  after  we  had  planned  it  well.  When  Caesar 
prepared  to  embark  for  Britain,  Lanius  planned  to  decoy 
Caius  into  the  forest  and  force  him  to  sign  a  deed  to 
him  for  all  the  property,  and  Fortune  helped  us,  for 
he  rambled  away  into  the  woods  just  at  dark.  Lanius, 
myself,  and  two  hired  Gauls  followed  him,  and  we  were 
sure  we  should  succeed  or  kill  him.  But  Fortune  failed 
us,  and  he  was  rescued  at  the  last  moment." 

"Here,  Imperator,  is  the  very  paper  they  tried  to 
force  me  to  sign,"  said  Caius,  drawing  the  papyrus 
from  his  belt.  "They  dropped  it  as  they  left,  and  I 
found  it  and  have  kept  it  till  now." 

Qaesar  ordered  a  lictor  to  bring  Lanius  before  him. 
"He  proved  a  coward  in  not  leading  the  cohorts  last 
night  as  I  comrrianded  him,  and  now  I  find  he  is  an 
assassin  besides.  I  had  hoped  all  the  time  to  make 
the  fellow  of  some  use  to  me." 

"Now,"  went  on  Eredox,  "you  can  see  why  I  shall 
never  trouble  young  Caius  more.  There  is  no  hope  of 
profit  in  it.  Lanius  will  know  that  I  have  betrayed  him 
and  that  I  have  revenge  upon  him  and  his  father 
through  the  punishment  you  will  wreak  upon  him.  I 
rejoice  in  that,  and  shall  be  glad  to  face  him  in  a  trial 


282  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

before  you,  and  to  see  his  hateful  face  work  and  draw 
with  fear,  and  to  see  his  cowardly  cringing  and  pleading 
for  your  mercy.  I  am  old  now  and  poor.  If  you 
allow,  I  shall  go  to  my  people,  and  spend  my  last  days 
with  them." 

"We  have  heard  you  patiently,  Eredox,"  said 
Caesar.  "The  man  whom  you  murdered,  the  father  of 
Caius  here,  was  the  best  friend  of  my  youth,  almost  a 
father  to  me,  and  I  find  it  hard  to  keep  my  word  not 
to  do  you  harm.  I  shall  send  a  guard  with  you  to  the 
edge  of  the  camp.  Beware  lest  you  ever  trouble  me  or 
any  of  mine  again.  Come,  Balbus,  and  guide  this 
brute  to  the  gates,  and  see  him  well  without. 

"I  grieve  that  we  let  this  old  scoundrel  go  free, 
said  Caesar.  "Your  father  was  my  dearest  friend. 
He  favored  me  and  helped  me  at  a  time  when  I  most 
needed  it,  and  I  could  crucify  his  murderer  with  good 
heart.  Perhaps  now  you  understand  why  I  have 
wished  to  aid  you  in  some  slight  degree.  We  shall 
see  if  we  cannot  recover  your  property,  too." 

At  this  moment  the  lictor  returned  to  say  that  Lanius 
was  nowhere  to  be  found  in  the  camp. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  MAN  BECOMES  A  LIEUTENANT 

THE  relieving  hordes  of  the  Gauls  had  now  been 
defeated  in  two  assaults  on  the  outer  fortifications  of 
the  Romans.  It  soon  became  clear  to  the  Gallic  leaders 
that  their  followers  were  becoming  discouraged.  Un- 
less a  victory  were  soon  won,  the  men  would  lose  heart 
and  leave  for  their  homes.  Hence  the  chiefs  set  to  work 
with  cunning  energy  to  discover  if  there  might  be  some 
weak  point  in  the  Roman  fortifications  which  they 
might  attack  with  greater  hope  of  success. 

On  the  northwest  of  Alesia  they  found  out  there  was  a 
large  and  high  hill  which  on  account  of  its  extent  old 
Balbus  had  left  entirely  without  the  wall,  which  ran 
at  its  base.  The  Gauls  learned  that  this  was  the 
weakest  place  in  the  Roman  lines  and  that  it  had  been 
left  not  strongly  guarded.  They  determined  to  storm 
this  point  with  sixty  thousand  of  their  best  men  picked 
from  all  Gaul. 

On  the  third  day  later,  about  noon  Caius  stepped  from 
his  tent,  which  was  placed  near  that  of  Caesar.  Not 
far  away  rose  a  tower  used  by  the  Imperator  for  a  sort  of 
lookout  over  the  entire  line  of  fortifications.  As  there 
had  been  no  fighting  during  the  morning,  the  tower  was 
occupied  only  by  a  few  sentinels  under  the  command 
of  Titus.  Caius  walked  leisurely  over  toward  the 
tower. 

283 


284  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

"Hello,  Titus/'  he  called.  "What  see  you  from  your 
high  perch  ?  Do  the  Gauls  bestir  themselves  to-day  ?" 

"Scarcely  at  all,"  returned  Titus.  "They  seem 
to  have  grown  careless.  I  wonder  if  they  have  decided 
to  give  up  fighting  and  mean  to  besiege  us." 

Caius  saw  Titus  whirl  and  look  toward  the  northwest 
hills,  from  which  point  now  rose  the  shouts  and  yells  of 
attack,  the  rattle  of  spears  and  shields,  and  the  clash 
of  swords. 

"Awaken  the  Imperator,  guard,"  shouted  Titus. 
"The  Gauls  are  attacking  the  legions  of  Antistius  and 
Caninius  at  the  northwest  hill." 

At  the  same  instant,  Caius  saw  thousands  of  the 
besieging  Gauls  leap  forth  from  their  camps  and  rush 
upon  the  Roman  works  in  the  plain,  while  their  horns 
called  to  battle  from  hill  to  hill.  They  were  answered 
by  the  blare  of  the  Roman  tubas,  the  Roman  battle 
shout,  and  the  heavy  running  of  the  armor-clad 
legionaries  to  their  places  on  the  ramparts. 

Caesar,  already  mounting  the  tower  whence  he  might 
have  an  outlook  over  the  whole  field,  was,  even  before 
he  reached  the  top,  giving  orders  to  his  couriers  and 
officers,  swarming  at  its  foot. 

The  besieged  Alesians  came  pouring  down  from  the 
town  with  weapons,  movable  pent  houses,  ladders, 
hurdles,  bundles  of  brush,  wall  hooks,  and  engines  to 
attack  Caesar's  inner  lines  of  defense.  At  the  same 
time,  thousands  of  women  and  children  appeared  on 
the  walls  of  the  town,  their  hair  streaming,  hands 
extended,  wailing,  crying,  praying,  urging  the  men  to 
fight  stoutly,  and  not  to  give  them  over  to  Roman 
slavery. 


THE    MAN    BECOMES    A    LIEUTENANT  285 

Caesar's  army  was  thus  attacked  in  strong  force, 
both  front  and  rear.  Cohort  after  cohort  was  hurried 
to  the  point  of  assault,  and  each  Roman  knew  that  his 
own  life  depended  upon  beating  off  the  enemy.  Mass 
upon  mass  of  Gauls  pressed  to  the  attack,  feeling  that 
this  was  their  last  chance  to  crush  the  Romans  and  to 
free  themselves. 

Where  Caius  was  posted,  there  was  little  fighting  for 
more  than  an  hour.  He  and  his  cohort  were  com- 
pelled to  hold  their  places  and  watch  the  struggle  in 
other  parts. 

"How  goes  the  fight  at  the  hill?"  shouted  Caius  to 
a  messenger  who  hurried  past. 

"It  is  being  fought  hard  and  bravely,"  panted  the 
messenger  as  he  dashed  on  to  Caesar's  tower.  "The 
missiles  have  given  out." 

A  few  moments  later  Caius  saw  Labienus  hasten 
past  with  six  cohorts  to  the  aid  of  Antistius  and 
Caninius. 

"Hurrah,  Caius,  we  are  going  to  have  a  pretty  fight 
now,"  called  out  old  Baculus  as  he  marched  past. 
"They  say  these  men  at  the  hill  are  the  best  fighters 
among  the  Gauls." 

"Caius,  if  I  don't  get  back  alive,  be  so  good  as  to  see 
that  what  plunder  I  have  collected  and  my  will  are  sent 
to  my  mother  by  the  cattle  market  at  Rome,"  said 
Sannio.  And  the  cohort  had  passed  out  of  earshot. 

The  battle  had  raged  for  some  hours.  The  Gauls 
seemed  no  nearer  to  breaking  the  Roman  lines  than 
ever  before.  Caius  was  just  beginning  to  think  the 
battle  would  end  without  his  cohorts'  striking  a  blow. 
Even  as  he  thought,  a  storm  of  Gallic  shouts  broke  upon 


286  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

his  ear  from  the  rear,  and  turning,  he  beheld  wave  after 
wave  of  Gauls  rolling  down  from  the  gates  of  Alesia, 
straight  upon  the  point  he  was  holding.  He  scarcely 
had  time  to  array  his  men  at  the  townward  wall  before 
arrows,  stones,  and  heavy  javelins  thrown  by  the  Gallic 
soldiers  and  engines  began  to  fall  upon  them.  Under 
cover  of  this  storm  of  missiles  the  Gauls  advanced  with 
a  rush,  under  the  command  of  Vercingetorix  himself. 
Besides  their  swords,  spears,  and  shields,  the  first 
ranks  bore  in  their  arms  great  bundles  of  brush  and 
hurdles.  With  these  they  filled  the  ditches  and 
scrambled  over,  mass  upon  mass  crushing  forward, 
though  hundreds  fell  to  be  trampled  upon  by  still 
others  to  come.  Soon  they  approached  the  main 
wall,  and  with  hooks  fastened  on  long  poles,  began  to 
tear  away  the  wattled  covers  of  the  palisades.  They 
worked  furiously,  while  from  their  rear  the  arrows, 
stones,  and  javelins  fell  upon  the  little  band  of  Caius 
in  an  ever  thicker  hail.  The  Romans  stood  firm,  hurled 
their  javelins,  and  cast  stones  and  leaden  bullets,  but 
the  Gauls  pressed  on  in  such  heavy  masses,  supporting 
each  other,  pushing  on  up  the  face  of  the  wall,  that  at 
last  their  faces  were  beginning  to  appear  above  it,  their 
big  blue  eyes  flashing  with  the  rage  and  madness  of 
battle. 

Then  the  Roman  short  swords  began  to  weave  back 
and  forth  like  the  shuttles  of  so  many  looms.  Titus 
stabbed  a  Gaul  who  had  reached  the  top  of  a  scaling 
ladder  and  stood  ready  to  leap  upon  the  wall.  He  fell 
headlong,  roaring  and  screaming,  and  dragged  down 
with  him  two  others  into  the  great  ditch.  And  yet 
others  were  not  lacking  to  take  their  places,  and  still 


THE    MAN    BECOMES    A   LIEUTENANT 


287 


they  swarmed  upward  on  their  ladders,  and  still  the 
Roman  swords  worked,  cut  and  thrust,  edge  and  point, 
and  filled  the  ditch  with  the  bodies  of  the  Gallic  slain. 


But  the  Gallic  missiles  cast  from  the  rear  were  not 
failing  to  find  marks  among  the  legionaries.  Almost 
half  the  Romans  were  dead  or  wounded.  A  stone  of  a 
pound  weight  broke  the  sword  arm  of  Titus  and  killed 


288  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

the  legionary  behind  him.  The  Roman  line  constantly 
fell  thinner  and  more  ragged,  and  ever  the  Gauls  pressed 
closer  and  harder. 

Caius  himself,  dizzy  and  half  crazed  with  pain  from 
a  stone  which  had  struck  his  head,  ran  up  and  down  his 
lines,  encouraging  his  men,  slaying  a  Gaul  here  and 
another  there,  and  seeming  to  be  everywhere  at  once. 

But  now  the  lieutenant  Brutus  came  to  his  aid,  sent 
by  Caesar  with  six  cohorts.  The  Gauls  were  driven 
down  from  the  wall,  but  again  the  masses  pressed  to- 
gether, and  came  climbing  up.  The  fresh  soldiers 
fought  stoutly,  encouraged  by  Brutus  and  Caius,  but  the 
swords  and  missiles  of  the  Gallic  hosts  began  to  thin 
them  down.  Caesar,  perceiving  this  from  the  tower, 
sent  the  lieutenant  Fabius  with  seven  cohorts  more. 
The  slaughter  raged  afresh,  and  now  a  scaling  party 
was  led  by  Vercingetorix  himself.  The  command  of 
the  Romans  at  this  point  had  fallen  to  Brutus  and 
Fabius,  and  Caius  stood  at  the  head  of  the  few  remain- 
ing men  and  fought,  sword  in  hand. 

Then  right  in  front  of  where  he  stood,  Vercingetorix 
himself  appeared  at  the  top  of  a  ladder,  shouting, 
encouraging  his  men,  and  striking  with  all  his  might. 
For  an  instant  his  fierce  eyes  rested  upon  Caius,  and 
with  a  savage  yell  he  braced  for  a  spring  upon  the 
youth.  Quick  as  a  flash  Caius  had  prized  off  the  hook 
of  the  ladder.  With  a  long  swing  it  reared  and  fell 
backward,  crashing  with  its  load  of  Gallic  warriors 
among  their  companions  on  the  ground,  slinging  the 
chief  far  over  among  his  rearmost  followers.  At  once  a 
cry  arose  that  Vercingetorix  was  killed,  and  the  Gauls 
ceased  their  efforts  and  fled. 


THE    MAN    BECOMES    A    LIEUTENANT  289 

Caius  and  his  legionaries  dropped  on  the  ground 
exhausted.  But  at  the  same  instant  they  sprang  up 
again,  for  they  saw  the  purple  cloak  of  Caesar,  passing 
on  horse,  rushing  breakneck  to  the  northwest  wall, 
where  the  fighting  had  been  hard.  They  saw  the 
Imperator  reach  the  place,  and  they  saw  the  Romans, 
sword  in  hand,  sally  over  the  wall.  A  moment  later 
they  saw  the  Gauls  flying  by  thousands,  closely  pur- 
sued by  a  large  body  of  German  cavalry  which  Caesar 
had  sent  by  a  roundabout  way  to  take  the  Gauls  in 
the  rear.  And  then  had  begun  one  of  those  routs  of 
which  Caesar  was  accustomed  to  write,  "and  many  of 
the  enemy  were  cut  down  by  ours."  The  Gauls  fled 
like  mad,  running  over  and  trampling  each  other, 
pursued,  hacked,  hewed,  and  ridden  down  by  the  hordes 
of  fierce,  crested  Germans. 

Nor  did  the  Gauls  stop  at  their  camps.  They  dashed 
right  over  and  through  them,  and  on  into  the  forests 
and  hills.  The  combined  forces  of  all  Gaul  were  totally 
defeated,  and  the  siege  of  Alesia  was  over. 

Thenceforth,  Gallic  liberty  was  at  an  end,  and  the 
Gallic  land  but  a  Roman  province.  Never  again  would 
the  Roman  matron  dread  the  Gaul  at  the  gates  of 
Rome. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  MAN  RECEIVES   HIS  GREATEST  JOY 

ON  the  next  morning  quiet  reigned  about  Alesia. 
On  the  outer  hills  and  in  the  great  plain  no  Gaul  was 
seen  except  those  who  lay  stark  and  dead,  pierced, 
hewn,  crushed,  or  impaled  upon  the  lilies.  From  the 
town  no  shouts,  no  rattle  of  armor,  no  battle  calls, 
came  down  to  the  Romans.  The  legionaries  swarmed 
over  the  hills  and  the  plain,  burying  their  own  dead, 
and  stripping  from  the  fallen  Gauls  their  gold  and 
silver  ornaments  and  such  other  articles  as  struck 
their  cupidity  or  fancy.  Roman  traders  were  every- 
where, eager  to  buy  bargains  in  slaves  and  plunder  from 
the  soldiers. 

As  Caius  walked  among  the  outer  defenses,  he  came 
upon  Titus,  tugging  at  a  richly  dressed  Gaul  who  had 
fallen  upon  a  lily  and  been  impaled  upon  the  sharpened 
stake.  The  fire-hardened  point,  now  smeared  with 
blood  and  bits  of  blackened  flesh,  thrust  forth  from 
his  back.  Caius  came  up  just  as  Titus  with  his  great 
strength  succeeded  in  dragging  the  body  out  on  level 
ground. 

"What  have  you  found  here,  Titus  ?"  he  asked. 

"A  rich  booty,"  grunted  Titus,  with  a  shrug  of  satis- 
faction. "Enough  to  support  me  at  Rome  for  a  year." 
And  he  fell  to  undoing  a  heavy  collar  of  twisted  gold 
from  the  massive  neck  of  the  barbarian. 

290 


THE    MAN    RECEIVES    HIS    GREATEST   JOY  29! 

Something  in  the  appearance  of  the  Gaul  caught  the 
attention  of  Caius,  and  turning  the  stiffened  body  so  he 
could  see  the  face,  he  recognized  Carvillax,  his  Nervian 
rival  and  personal  enemy.  Caius  quietly  returned 
to  camp.  Here,  at  last,  was  one  enemy  who  would 
trouble  him  no  more. 

After  a  time,  Caesar,  clad  in  a  rich  toga,  came  from 
his  tent.  He  mounted  the  tribunal,  and  busied  himself 
giving  orders  and  dispatching  messengers.  Now,  all 
of  a  sudden,  a  single,  long-drawn,  doleful  note  from  a 
Gallic  trumpet  sounded  upon  the  walls  of  Alesia.  All 
eyes  turned  up  in  that  direction. 

Presently  there  emerged  from  the  gates  a  single 
figure,  mounted  on  a  splendid  white  war  horse.  Calmly 
and  leisurely  the  figure  rode  down  the  hill,  entered 
the  gates  of  the  Roman  camp,  and  circled  slowly  about 
Caesar  and  his  officers.  When  he  had  completed  the 
circuit,  he  brought  his  horse  to  a  stand  before  the 
Proconsul.  For  a  moment  he  looked  straight  into  the 
eyes  of  Caesar,  and  then  he  said,  "Caesar,  you  have 
vanquished  a  brave  man,  you  yourself  the  bravest  of 
all." 

And  every  beholder  believed  him  brave,  and  not  one 
but  looked  with  admiration  upon  the  handsome  form 
and  noble  bearing  of  this  prince  among  the  Gauls,  the 
bold  and  wily  Vercingetorix,  chief  of  the  Arvernians. 
He  wore  a  finely  wrought  shirt  of  chain  mail,  richly 
ornamented.  On  his  legs  were  varicolored  trousers, 
the  characteristic  garment  of  his  race.  His  head  was 
bare.  From  his  well-formed  features  shone  forth 
clear,  flashing,  blue  eyes.  Great  ringlets  of  long 
waving  hair  hung  upon  his  head,  and  a  long  tawny 

STANDARD    BEARER I 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

red  mustache  curled  fiercely  above  his  thin  proud 
lips.  This  was  the  one  man  of  all  Gaul  who  had  shown 
himself  a  worthy  antagonist  of  even  Caesar. 

After  his  first  words  he  sat  his  horse,  still  and  silent 
for  some  minutes,  then  slowly  dismounted,  drew  off 
his  armor,  and  sat  down  on  the  ground  at  Caesar's 
feet,  saying  never  another  word.  This  was  his  sur- 
render. The  first  and  the  last  organized  resistance  of 
the  Gauls  against  Roman  dominion  was  forever  broken. 
In  the  hearts  of  the  officers  pity  stirred  for  the  misfor- 
tune of  so  brave  a  foe,  and  they  spoke  no  word  till  after 
Caesar  had  ordered  Vercingetorix  to  be  led  away  and 
placed  in  chains. 

Then  Caesar  commanded  the  Gallic  prisoners  thus 
surrendered  to  march  out  of  the  town  and  to  pile  their 
arms  within  the  Roman  works.  As  the  famished 
thousands  staggered  past,  with  cries  and  curses  they 
cast  their  weapons,  a  mountain  of  steel  and  bronze 
grew,  and  beneath  it  lay  buried  Gallic  liberty.  Food 
was  supplied  to  the  starving  Gauls,  and  then  one  was 
given  as  a  slave  to  each  Roman  soldier,  who  in  most 
cases  immediately  sold  his  Gaul  to  the  traders  to  be  dis- 
posed of  in  the  slave  market  at  Rome. 

When  Caesar  had  thus  made  disposition  of  the 
prisoners,  he  looked  around  on  his  officers,  and  with  a 
smile  said:  "Fellow  soldiers,  you  have  all  conducted 
yourselves  most  soldier-like.  Our  arms  have  been 
successful  beyond  our  greatest  expectations.  Such 
victories  have  not  been  won  since  Alexander  con- 
quered Asia.  .The  plunder  and  prisoners  are  yours. 
Now,  there  is  one  other  reward  I  wish  to  bestow  in  your 
presence.  Lictor,  request  Fannia,  the  wife  of  Tre- 


THE    MAN    RECEIVES    HIS    GREATEST  JOY  293 

bonius,  to  bring  the  Nervian  hostage  that  I  intrusted 
to  her  care." 

Presently  there  issued  from  a  large  and  splendid 
tent  near  the  tribunal  the  Roman  matron,  Fannia, 
and  with  her  two  other  women.  One  of  them  was 
Trebonia.  The  other  was  clad  in  a  soft  robe  of  white 
wool  in  the  Roman  style,  bound  about  with  a  rich 
tasseled  girdle.  She  was  a  young  woman  of  singularly 
graceful  and  noble  bearing.  As  they  came  nearer, 
Caius  could  scarcely  believe  his  eyes  when  he  recog- 
nized her  as  the  beautiful  Bridiga,  paling  and  blushing 
by  turns,  and  her  face  growing  soft  and  glad  when  her 
eyes  had  lighted  upon  him. 

"Here,  fellow  soldiers,  is  a  rare  jewel  which  I  would 
bestow  in  marriage  upon  our  young  soldier  and  officer, 
Caius  Volcatius  Tullus.  She  is  a  Nervian  princess,  and 
he  a  Roman  patrician.  They  have  been  true  to  each 
other  in  the  greatest  danger,  and  have  in  turn  saved 
each  the  other's  life.  Now  may  you  all  join  me  in 
wishing  them  long  happiness  in  their  mutual  love." 
And  there  among  the  sights  and  sounds  of  war  they  were 
married  in  accordance  with  the  good  old  Roman 
customs. 

Trebonia,  light  and  happy,  wished  them  well,  and 
forgot  them  quickly,  for  she  was  busying  herself  in  an 
effort  to  enmesh  the  lieutenant,  Antistius.  And  she 
was  rewarded.  He  loved  her  for  six  whole  months. 

As  Caius  and  Bridiga  walked  about  the  camp  in  the 
afternoon,  old  Matho,  the  merchant,  met  them,  bowing 
and  smiling,  and  seeming  almost  beside  himself  with 
joy. 

"By  all  the  gods,  but  here  is  my  little  Bridiga.     She 


294 


THE    STANDARD    BEARER 


is  the  one  who  nursed  me  back  to  life,  Caius.  I  taught 
her  Latin,  our  tongue.  And  how  you  have  grown  !  I 
never  thought  I  should  see  you  again.  And  here  you 


are  the  wife  of  my  good  friend,  Caius.  How  glad  I 
am  that  this  is  so." 

"I  am  so  glad  to  see  you,  Matho,  too,"  said  Bridiga. 
"And  how  do  you  fare  ?" 

"Ah,  well  enough,  to-day,"  he  said,  trying  hard  to 
subdue  his  joy  to  becoming  soberness.  "Truly  the  gods 
have  blessed  me.  Caesar  paid  me  double  for  what  I 
lost  in  his  service,  and  I  have  traded  with  it  and  made 
much  gain.  To-day  I  bought  many  captives.  When 


THE    MAN    RECEIVES    HIS    GREATEST  JOY  295 

I  sell  them  at  Rome,  I  shall  be  rich,  rich,  rich,  and  my 
daughter,  Nigra,  just  your  age,  shall  live  in  a  palace." 
And  he  laughed  broadly,  already  forgetful  of  Caius 
and  Bridiga  and  everything  else,  save  his  own  good 
fortune.  The  young  people  passed  on. 

As  all  things  were  now  settled,  and  Caius  and  his 
mother  were  once  more  independent  and  likely  to  soon 
come  into  possession  of  their  former  property,  Caius 
urged  his  mother  with  her  household,  Simmias  and 
Chloe,  to  come  to  Gaul  to  live.  But  she  wished  rather 
to  pass  her  last  days  in  the  comforts  of  the  City,  and 
so  removed  to  Rome. 

Caius  was  appointed  to  high  office  in  the  province 
under  Caesar,  and  he,  with  Bridiga,  dwelt  in  peaceful 
content  in  Gaul,  ruling  with  justness  and  moderation. 
He  was  promoted  from  time  to  time,  and  did  all  in 
his  power  to  aid  in  improving  the  condition  of  the 
Gauls,  the  people  whom  he  had  once  so  hated.  He  took 
a  most  active  part  in  spreading  throughout  Gaul  the 
civilization  of  Rome.  He  founded  schools,  built  roads 
and  canals,  encouraged  improved  agriculture,  and  es- 
tablished law  and  order. 

And  in  the  culture  and  civilization  which  have  al- 
ways distinguished  the  land  where  Caius  dwelt,  may 
still  be  traced  much  that  is  due  to  his  efforts.  For 
to  the  work  of  Julius  Caesar  and  his  devoted  followers 
in  Gaul  is  due  the  staying  of  the  tide  of  barbarism  rolling 
down  from  the  North,  till  Rome  could  spread  her  law 
and  culture,  and  thus  prepare  the  ground  for  the 
broader,  richer,  and  nobler  civilization  which  blossoms 
in  their  stead. 


CHAPTER  VII 
CONCLUSION 

EIGHTEEN  years  after  the  taking  of  Alesia,  on  a 
spring  day,  when  all  Italy  grew  fresh  and  sweet  with 
greening  trees,  bursting  blossoms,  and  singing  birds, 
a  portly  Roman,  clad  in  thetoga  of  a  provincial  governor, 
entered  a  little  shop  near  the  cattle  market  at  Rome. 
He  was  followed  by  two  stout  youths,  who,  from 
their  fair  features  and  robust  forms,  were  evidently 
his  sons. 

The  keeper  of  the  shop,  an  old  man  with  the  scarred 
face  and  the  erect  carriage  of  a  soldier,  bowed  low. 
"Your  humble  servant,  sir,"  he  said.  "What  comfort 
can  my  poor  shop  offer  you  ?" 

The  other  peered  hard  into  the  old  shopman's  face 
and  said,  "Do  I  again  see  Sannio?" 

"Caius  Volcatius  Tullus,  by  Pluto !"  almost  shouted 
Sannio,  for  it  was  he.  "And  what  brings  the  governor 
of  Gaul  into  my  poor  shop  ?  And  how  have  you  been  ? 
And  are  these  your  boys  ?  And  where  is  the  princess 
Bridiga?" 

"Not  so  fast,  Sannio,"  laughed  Caius.  "I  cannot 
answer  all  your  questions  at  once,  but  I'll  begin  with 
your  first.  I  am  in  your  shop  because  I  wanted  to  see 
an  old  friend,  one  who  shared  many  a  danger  with  me, 
and  one  who  helped  me  to  learn  to  be  a  soldier.  I  have 
been  well,  and  I  have  prospered.  I  am  in  Rome  to 

296 


CONCLUSION 


297 


place  my  sons  to  study  under  the  famous  rhetorician, 
Porcius  Latro,  who  has  such  crowds  of  young  men 
following  him  about  the  forum.  I  also  came  to  take 
possession  of  the  property  that  was  my  father's.  By 


i 


a  law  which  Caesar  secured,  it  fell  to  my  mother.     As 
she  is  now  no  more,  it  is  mine." 

"Ah,  that  reminds  me  of  that  villain,  Lanius,  who 
tried  so  often  to  kill  you,"  exclaimed  Sannio.  "Bad 
enough  end  came  to  him.  You  remember,  he  deserted 
Caesar  before  the  walls  of  Alesia  and  fled,  no  one  knew 
whither.  Well,  he  joined  Pompey  in  the  hope  of  pro- 
motion, and  then  lived  fast  for  a  year  or  two.  He  did 


298  THE    STANDARD    BEARER 

not  get  the  office  he  wanted,  and  soon  he  deserted 
Pompey,  and  attempted  to  get  to  Caesar  again  with 
important  letters  of  trust.  But  Pompey  caught  him 
and  had  him  crucified  head  downward  along  with 
some  common  thieves." 

Caius  expressed  no  regrets,  for  he  felt  none.  For- 
giveness and  love  toward  enemies  were  not  traits  of 
Roman  character. 

"But  tell  me  of  yourself,  Sannio,"  he  said. 

"Oh,  I  have  lived  along  as  best  I  could  since  I  grew 
too  old  for  service  in  the  army,  and  hung  up  my  sword 
in  the  temple  of  Mars.  My  mother  died,  and  this  little 
place  that  I  had  given  her,  now  serves  me  as  a  shop 
where  I  may  earn  a  living,  though  as  the  proverb 
goes,  my  teeth  sometimes  grow  too  long  for  lack  of  use 
on  solid  and  plentiful  food.  But  one  glory  I  have. 
I  went  through  the  wars  with  Caesar.  Alas  !  a  black  day 
it  was  for  Rome  when  he  was  struck  down.  We  shall 
not  see  his  like  again." 

"No,"  said  Caius.  "Common  men  such  as  we  are 
not  capable  of  estimating  the  greatness  of  Julius 
Caesar.  But  tell  me  of  Baculus." 

"Ah,  old  Baculus,"  said  Sannio.  "By  the  Roman 
eagles !  How  he  loved  a  fight !  He  would  leave  the 
richest  plunder  in  any  battle  for  one  more  stroke  at 
the  enemy.  He  was  a  soldier,  too.  Such  are  not  seen 
in  every  legion.  And  he  died  a  soldier's  death.  In  a 
battle. with  the  Parthians  in  Asia,  he  was  attacked 
by  four  light-armed  Parthians.  After  he  had  killed 
three  of  them,  the  last  one  ran  and  was  so  hard  pressed 
by  Baculus  that  he  dropped  his  spear.  It  lodged 
point  backward  and  up  so  that  Baculus  dashed  head- 


CONCLUSION  299 

long  upon  it,  and  thus  tore  out  his  vitals.  The  other 
soldiers  grieved  long  and  sorely  for  him." 

And  so  they  discussed  others  of  their  old  comrades. 
The  two  boys  listened  with  wide-awake  interest  to  the 
stories  these  two  old  soldiers  told  of  the  many  scenes 
of  blood  and  carnage  they  had  seen  in  the  Gallic  land. 

Late  in  the  day,  Caius  and  his  sons  bade  Sannio 
a  reluctant  farewell,  and  then  departed  to  seek  the 
teacher  of  rhetoric,  Porcius  Latro. 


APPENDIX 


PRONUNCIATION  OF  PROPER    NAMES 


Africa  (af'-ri-ca). 
Alba  (al'-ba). 
Alesia  (a-le'-shi-a). 
Allobrogians  (al-lo-bro'-gi-ans) . 
Andronicus  (an-dro-ni'-kus). 
Antistius  (an-tis'-ti-us). 
Apennines  (ap'-en-nines). 
Ariovistus  (a-ri-o-vis'-tus). 
Arvernians  (ar-ver'-ni-ans) . 
Avaricum  (a-va'-ri-cum). 

B 

Baculus  (bSc'-u-lus). 
Bagacuin  (ba-ga'-cum). 
Balbus  (bal'-bus). 
Bibracte  (bi-brak'-te). 
Bituriges  (bi-tu'-ri-ges). 
Boduagnotus  (bod-u-og-no'-tus). 
Bridiga  (brid'-ig-a). 
Bujorax  (bu'-jo-rS,x). 


Csesar  (se'-zar). 
Caius  (ca'-yus)  or  (ka'-us). 
Camilla  (ca-mil'-la). 
Campania  (cam-pa'-ni-a). 
Carnutes  (kar'-nu-tez). 
Carvillax  (car-vil'-lax) . 
Ceres  (se'-rez). 
Chseronaea  (ke  ro  ne'a) . 
Chloe  (klo'-e). 
Cimbrians  (sim'-bri-ans). 


Circus  (sir'-kus). 
Cisalpine  (sls-al'-pine). 
Considius  (kon-sid'-i-us). 
Coprax  (ko'-praks). 
Cornelia  (cor-nel'-i-a). 
Cornelius  (cor-nel'-i-us). 
Cotta  (cot'-ta). 
Coturix  (co-tu'-rix). 
Crassus  (cras'-sus). 
Crispina  (cris-pl'-na). 
Critognatus  (krit-og-na'-tusV 
Crixus  (criks'-us). 
Curo  (koor'-o). 


Delphi  (del'-fi). 
Deverra  (de-ver'-ra). 
Diviciacus  (div-i-shi-a'-kus). 
Dumnorix  (dum'-no-riks). 

E 

Eredox  (g'-red-ox). 
Esquiline  (es'-kwi-lm). 


Fannia  (fan'-ni-a). 
Flaminia  (flam-m'-i-a). 
Forum  (fo'-rum). 


Galba  (gal'-ba). 
Gaul  (gall). 
Geneva  (je-ne'-va). 


303 


304 


PRONUNCIATION    OF    PROPER    NAMES 


Gergovia  (ger-gov'-i-a). 
Gitus  (git'-us). 
Gracchus  (grak'-kus). 

H 

Hseduans  (hed'-u-ans). 
Hannibal  (han'-ni-bal). 
Hercules  (her'-ku-lez). 
Hercynian  (her-sm'-i-a). 
Heus  (he'-us). 
Hilda  (hll'-da). 
Hirtius  (hlr'-ti-us). 


I 


Intercidona  (m-ter'-cid-o'-na). 


Jugurtha  (ju-gur'-tha). 
Julius  (jul'-yus). 
Jura  (jur'-a). 


Labienus  (la-bi-e"'-nus). 
Lanius  (lan'-i-us). 
Latro  (la'-tro). 
Libra  (ll'-bra). 
Lingones  (lin'go-nez). 
Lollius  (lol'-li-us). 
Longa  (long' -a). 
Lucan  (liic'-an). 
Lucius  (lu'-«hius). 

M 

Magetobriga  (ma-j  e-tob'-ri-ga) . 

Mandubians  (man-du'-bi-ans). 

Marcus  (mar'-kus). 

Marian  (ma'-ri-an). 

Marius  (ma'-ri-us). 

Mars  (mars). 

Matho  (ma'-tho). 


Menapians  (men-a'-pi-ans) . 
Mercator  (mer-ka'-tor) . 
Metius  (me'-shius). 
Meturio  (met-u'-ri-6). 
Mithridates  (mith-ri-da'-tez). 
Moselle  (mos-gl'). 
Mutilus  (mu'-ti-lus). 

N 

Neptune  (ne"p'-tune). 
Nervians  (ner'-vi-aus) . 

O 

Ognius  (6g'-ni-us). 
Oppius  (6p'-pi-us). 
Ouadd  (ou'-ad). 


Pansa  (pin'-sa). 
Parisii  (par'-i-si). 
Parthians  (par'-thi-ans). 
Pedius  (ped'-i-us). 
PhcBnician  (fe'-m'-shians). 
Pilumuius  (pil-um'-ni-us). 
Pluto  (plu'-to). 
Pollux  (pol'-luks) . 
Poraponia  (pom-po'-ni-a). 
Pomponius  (pom-po'-ni-us). 
Porcius  (por'-shus). 
Procillus  (pro-sil'-lus). 
Publius  (pub'-li-us). 
Pullo  (pul'-6). 

Q 

Quintus  (kwin'-tus). 


Raudian  (raw'-dl-an). 
Rauracians  (ra-ra'-shans). 
Ravenna  (ra-ven'-na). 
Rhine  (rine). 


PRONUNCIATION    OF    PROPER    NAMES 


305 


Sabis  (sa'-bis). 
Sannio  (san'-ni-o). 
Segibo  (seg'-i-bo). 
Senones  (sen'-o-nez). 
Sequanians  (se-kwan'-yans). 
Sextius  (seks'-ti-us). 
Simmias  (sim'-mi-as). 
Spoletum  (spo-le'-tum). 
Styx  (stlks). 
Sulla  (sul'-a). 


Tarann  (tar'-Sn). 
Tencteri  (tengk'-te-ri). 
Teutons  (tu'-tons). 
Tiber  (tl'ber). 
Tiberius  (ti-be'-ri-us) . 


Titus  (ti'-tus). 
Trebonia  (tre-b5n'-ya) . 
Trebonius  (tre-bon'-yus). 
Tullus  (tiil'-lus). 

U 

Umbria  (um'-bri-a). 
Usipite^  (u-sip'-e-tez). 


Venus  (ve'-nus). 
Verbigeni  (ver-bij'-e-nl). 
Vercingetorix  ( ver-sin- j  6t'-o-riks  ) . 
Vertico  (ver'-ti-ko) . 
Vesontio  (ve-son'-sho) . 
Volcatius  (vol-ka'-shus). 
Vorenus  (vo'-re'-nus). 


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